When Rest Comes at a Cost: Rethinking Sick Days at School

Peter Bryant, 26

Most students have had to miss school for something - an illness, a family emergency, a mental health day. It’s nothing new. But what has become clearer is how difficult it still is to be absent without falling behind or feeling like you did something wrong.

We asked you what your experience has been with missing school, and your answers pointed to a system that doesn’t always match the reality of being human. The problem isn’t just about policy - it’s about how students feel when they’re out, and what they come back to when they return.

Following our survey, a lot of students said the hardest part about missing school is trying to catch up afterward. It’s not just about redoing assignments. It’s about the stress of walking back into class already behind, especially in fast-moving subjects. Several students shared that missing even one day makes it feel like they’re “already in a hole.”

Some teachers do a good job of posting materials online or giving makeup work. One student specifically shouted out Dr. King as a great example of how to treat absences. Others don’t - or they do it late - and that inconsistency makes it harder for students to recover. One student said, “Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t,” when asked if teachers post work online. That uncertainty adds to the pressure, especially when students are already feeling sick or overwhelmed.

Even though students know they should stay home when they’re not feeling well, many admitted to coming in anyway. The main reason? The amount of work they’ll miss.

One student said, “Yes, because when I miss one day then work piles up.” Another explained that they’ve come to school sick because it feels like the school “treats absences like a huge deal.” For students involved in athletics or other commitments, the pressure can be even stronger. Some shared that skipping school meant missing practice or games, which made it feel like they had no real choice.

The difference between an excused and unexcused absence might seem simple on paper, but many students said they didn’t fully understand the rules. A few said they had been confused by what qualified as excused, and some mentioned being marked absent incorrectly. Fixing those mistakes wasn’t always easy - one person said they emailed about it and never got a response, while another said they just didn’t bother trying to fix it anymore.

It’s hard to trust a system that doesn’t always seem to work, especially when it affects your record.

When we asked whether the school values health or attendance more, responses were mixed. Some students said health. Others said attendance. What stood out was that no one seemed fully confident either way. That uncertainty reflects a deeper issue - when students are unsure what the school actually prioritizes, they default to playing it safe, which often means coming to school when they probably shouldn’t.

There isn’t one perfect fix. But the student responses made a few things clear. First, students need clearer, more consistent communication about what to do when they’re out. That means teachers should post work online regularly and give students time to catch up without making them feel like they’re falling behind permanently.

Second, the rules around excused and unexcused absences should be easier to understand - and fixing mistakes should be straightforward. No one should have to send multiple emails or just give up on getting something corrected.

And most importantly, there needs to be a cultural shift in how we treat absences. If students are afraid to stay home when they’re sick, we’re encouraging habits that hurt both health and learning. School should be a place where you’re supported, even when you need time away.

If you’d like to view the raw data, you can do so on this spreadsheet.