Senior skip days are an all-too-common tradition for students nearing the end of secondary school. Getting a temporary head start on summer in the final few weeks of the academic year may seem like a needed day of relaxation in the thick of exams. However, it could cause more significant consequences than students may think.

Ambiguous Rules on Skipping School

A skip day is supposed to be when students—typically hundreds of them—catch teachers off guard by not showing up to class. Yet, sometimes skip days are planned with teachers in the loop. Parents even get involved and call the school ahead of time to ensure their child won't be given an unexcused absence. While getting everyone in on the prank may defeat the purpose of senior "skip day," it isn't a guarantee they're avoiding trouble.

In any school's code of conduct are clear rules defining what absences are excused. Although students may think their teachers or even some administration officials have the final say on what constitutes misconduct, think again.

Typically, the school district or school board is the authority over implementing the institution's governing rules. If large swaths of the student body fail to show up for class, the superintendent, district representatives, or school board members could put their thumb on a school's principal and administration to pursue misconduct charges regardless of any prearrangements.

What Skip Days Cost Students and Schools

While the idea of leaving school is always alluring, it's important to be aware of the consequences of truancy. Many schools have strict attendance policies stating how many absences a student may have before they are reprimanded or have to submit appeals to receive credit for a course.

For some states, funding is directly linked to daily attendance rather than enrollment. Skip days at large high schools can cost some institutions thousands of dollars in funding, and school administrators are more aggressive in their approach to unexcused student absences.

Disciplinary Consequences of Skipping School

In most states, students cannot receive an out-of-school suspension for habitual truancy. Instead, schools will look to levy an in-school suspension, placement in an alternative education program, and require the student to attend summer school or even repeat a grade. Any one of these punishments can spell trouble for students so close to graduation.

Skipping school can make students appear unfit to college admissions boards and employers' human resources personnel. Even if students have already been accepted to college or have secured a job, skipping school near the end of the year can lead them to rescind an offer, derailing hopes of success after graduation.

How Can a Student Defense Advisor Help?

Even if parents are complicit in their student child's senior skip day, they must understand the consequences. While dedicated parents are present to defend their children, they may not know how to fight back against burdensome disciplinary boards that prioritize the school's reputation over the student's best interests.

If your child is alleged to have too many unexcused absences by engaging in prank skip days, contact a professional student defense advisor now. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his team at the Lento Law Firm understand how stringent schools can be with their attendance policies. They will safeguard your student child's rights and defend their chances to graduate with a clean record. Call 888-535-3686 today or visit the online consultation form.