School Charging Money for Mandatory Makeup Classes

[TheWave]

(I live in North Carolina)
Greetings! I recently became aware of my high school's new policy regarding attendance. Previously, for every day that is an unexcused absence, you will accumulate 1 hour for every class you missed that day. To make up these hours, you go to an afternoon class (Makeup Class.) If you do not make up all of the hours you missed by the end of the school years, you are given a grade of 58(failing) in every class that you still have hours not made up.

The new school policy is that you have to pay $5 per hour to attend these mandatory makeup classes (there is no other way to make up time)

Is this legal?

Thank you!

 

[TheGeekess]

(I live in North Carolina)
Greetings! I recently became aware of my high school's new policy regarding attendance. Previously, for every day that is an unexcused absence, you will accumulate 1 hour for every class you missed that day. To make up these hours, you go to an afternoon class (Makeup Class.) If you do not make up all of the hours you missed by the end of the school years, you are given a grade of 58(failing) in every class that you still have hours not made up.

The new school policy is that you have to pay $5 per hour to attend these mandatory makeup classes (there is no other way to make up time)

Is this legal?

Thank you!

Sounds legal and like a good idea to me. Why should the school have to cover the costs of electricity and staff to give you speshul snowflakes a chance to make up school that you voluntarily missed without reason?

 

[TheWave]

Because if you have 3 day's worth of hours missed you are charged with Truancy.

 

[TheGeekess]

Because if you have 3 day's worth of hours missed you are charged with Truancy.

That's all well and good. Don't cut class/school and there will be no problems.

 

[Silverplum]

Why can't I hit the "like" button MORE than once??

 

[TheWave]

That's all well and good. Don't cut class/school and there will be no problems.

I do not miss school, I am making this thread for a friend who has a poor family, and would not be able to cover the costs. I expected a legal forum to be a tad more professional, but it takes more than a cliched insult like "Snowflake" to upset me.

So assuming that people do miss school, the well-off families would be able to pay for their child to not be charged with a criminal charge/fail every class, but the poor families would fail and be jailed.

 

[TheGeekess]

I do not miss school, I am making this thread for a friend who has a poor family, and would not be able to cover the costs. I expected a legal forum to be a tad more professional, but it takes more than a cliched insult like "Snowflake" to upset me.

So assuming that people do miss school, the well-off families would be able to pay for their child to not be charged with a criminal charge/fail every class, but the poor families would fail and be jailed.

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time/pay the fine.

 

[TheWave]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time/pay the fine.

Keep in mind that this is a public school.

 

[Zigner]

Keep in mind that this is a public school.

What makes you believe that wasn't factored in to the responses?

 

[Silverplum]

I do not miss school, I am making this thread for a friend who has a poor family, and would not be able to cover the costs. I expected a legal forum to be a tad more professional, but it takes more than a cliched insult like "Snowflake" to upset me.

So assuming that people do miss school, the well-off families would be able to pay for their child to not be charged with a criminal charge/fail every class, but the poor families would fail and be jailed.

Oooh, it's my least favorite thing: ~~Hi-Skool Dramatics!~~

 

[TheWave]

What makes you believe that wasn't factored in to the responses?

So it is 100% legal for school to charge extra fees for mandatory education. Just to be clear?

 

[Zigner]

So it is 100% legal for school to charge extra fees for mandatory education. Just to be clear?

They're not charging for the mandatory education - that was provided for free, the student just decided not to partake. They're charging for the additional education being provided.

With my answer, I am assuming that these were not absences that would normally be excused (ie: illness, dr. appt., etc.)

 

[Silverplum]

They're not charging for the mandatory education - that was provided for free, the student just decided not to partake. They're charging for the additional education being provided.

With my answer, I am assuming that these were not absences that would normally be excused (ie: illness, dr. appt., etc.)

Yup, unexcused absences, according to OP's 1st.

**

 

[TheWave]

They're not charging for the mandatory education - that was provided for free, the student just decided not to partake. They're charging for the additional education being provided.

With my answer, I am assuming that these were not absences that would normally be excused (ie: illness, dr. appt., etc.)

Under the current policy you will still accumulate hours you have to make up regardless of whether your absent is excused or not, however they will not report you for truancy with excused absences.

 

[LdiJ]

I do not miss school, I am making this thread for a friend who has a poor family, and would not be able to cover the costs. I expected a legal forum to be a tad more professional, but it takes more than a cliched insult like "Snowflake" to upset me.

So assuming that people do miss school, the well-off families would be able to pay for their child to not be charged with a criminal charge/fail every class, but the poor families would fail and be jailed.

I have to admit that this practice is at least questionable, if for no other reason than the very reason you describe. That it could be financially out of reach of poorer parents. However, it would be up to the parents of the students to challenge this practice with the superintendent of schools and the school board. If that does not produce results, the state board of education would be the next place to try.

To the other responders...you need to consider that an unexcused absence is not necessarily a teen ditching school. It can be something as simple as being sick but the parents not being able to afford the 150.00 it would cost to take him/her to the doctor to obtain an excuse.

Of course, any action that the parents take might simply result in the school not allowing makeup time at all, but as rough as that might be, it would still be a fairer system.