The Fair Grove High School opt-out card policy has sparked mixed opinions among both students and faculty, particularly regarding the attendance requirement. While some people find the criteria reasonable, the attendance portion has become a topic of debate.
In order to opt out of one core and one non-core final, students must meet several criteria: a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher, no days of ISS (In-School Suspension), at least 80 percent and no missing work in the class they wish to opt out of, and an attendance rate of 99 percent.
According to an email from school administration, “A student does not miss 1 minute more than 1 day (i.e., we have a total of 430 minutes in our school day. If a student misses 431 minutes, they are not eligible to receive a core final opt-out card).” This means a student can miss one full day of school in order to still receive their opt out cards. However, if a student’s attendance percentage falls between 95 percent and 98.9 percent, they can opt out of only one non-core final.
Some students, such as senior Brooklyn Williams, believe the attendance and GPA requirements are fair. “I think the attendance and GPA requirements are very reasonable,” Williams stated. “If the attendance percent was any lower you would just have kids skipping school and still getting the benefits of not having to take a final at semester and the end of the year.”
Some students at Fair Grove have expressed concerns about the attendance requirement. “I don’t think the attendance part is fair,” said junior Lexi Defreece. “That is a very hard thing to uphold for some people, especially if you get sick or something happens that you cannot be here for school.”
The importance of attendance has led to some proposed solutions. For example, some students have suggested offering bonus points for attendance, excusing certain absences such as hospital stays, or simply lowering the required attendance percentage. Junior, Carson Trussell proposed, “With the incentives of not being able to play sports and attend school functions now we do not need attendance to impact opt outs.”
Cayse Overstreet, marketing teacher at Fair Grove High School, feels that the requirements for opt out cards are a positive reinforcement for students. She stated, “In my 13 years at Fair Grove High School, the opt out policy seems to be a good motivator for students in ensuring they make every effort to be at school when they can and work hard towards this positive incentive.
Natalie Palomo, the high school band director, expressed support for the conditions. “I think in general, the conditions are good. I know there is sometimes concern because students will come to school sick just to get an opt out card, but I don’t know that there’s a quick, easy way to avoid that without having to look into every “what if” around the opt out cards.”
Despite differing opinions, both students and faculty recognize the need for a balance between encouraging good attendance and maintaining fairness in the opt-out process. While the policy may not satisfy everyone, it sparks important conversations about the role of attendance in academic success.
