Westview High School recently introduced the '85 to Jive' policy, requiring at least 85% attendance and punctuality to attend school dances like Winter Formal and Prom. Students can miss no more than five days—excused or unexcused—before losing eligibility for these events. For Prom specifically, students can miss up to 14 days between Dec. 2 and May 11, but exceeding 14 days makes them ineligible.

While the goal is to get more students to show up to school, this policy unfairly punishes people who need to miss for reasons like being sick, family emergencies, or mental health days. Even if it's a legally supported mental health day in Oregon, it still counts as one of the five days. With flu season coming up, students will have to choose between staying home when they're sick or going to school and risking spreading it to others, all while losing the chance to attend dances.

This policy hits especially hard for vulnerable groups, like students who have to work to support their families or deal with mental health issues. It also hurts students in clubs like DECA, HOSA, and MUN, who might miss class for conferences and competitions. Penalizing them for representing Westview just doesn't seem right.

We’re asking the administration to rethink this policy so it doesn’t leave out students who have valid reasons for missing school. We need a policy that works for everyone, no matter what challenges they face. Let’s make sure all Westview students can enjoy school dances without feeling left behind.