We, the undersigned parents, guardians, and community members of Campbell County, Tennessee, urge the Campbell County Board of Education to revise Board Policy 6.200 (Attendance) and related procedures.

Currently, even absences supported by a licensed physician’s note can still count toward overall absenteeism totals, chronic absenteeism rates, and progressive interventions. This creates an unfair burden on families dealing with legitimate illnesses, injuries, or medical needs. Children who are sick should stay home to recover and avoid spreading illness—yet families risk interventions, court referrals, or other consequences when absences accumulate, even with proper medical documentation.

We request that the Board:

•  Explicitly classify absences verified by a doctor’s/physician’s note (or equivalent licensed medical provider) as fully excused.

•  Ensure these medically documented absences do notcount against a student’s overall absenteeism total, chronic absenteeism percentage, or progressive truancy intervention thresholds.

•  Maintain reasonable verification processes while protecting students with legitimate health needs (including chronic conditions via special arrangements or homebound when appropriate).

•  Communicate the clarified policy clearly to families, schools, and medical providers.

Regular attendance is important for student success. Punishing families for following medical advice is not the solution and can discourage keeping sick children home. Other Tennessee districts have adjusted similar policies after community input. We ask the Campbell County Board of Education to do the same for the health and well-being of our students.

Please sign and share this petition. Together we can support both attendance goals and common-sense medical exemptions.