This generation has a problem: skipping school. According to the Attendance Works website, 5 to 7.5 million students miss almost a month of school each year. This can be seen in the halls of Troy as well, when students decide to take an extra long lunch, go home one class period early, or not come to school at all. The fact that this has become commonplace is detrimental to the success – academic and otherwise – of students.

There are many reasons a student might feel the need to not attend school. Some skip to spend time with their friends (who are also missing class) getting food or partaking in illegal activities. Because it is so easy to simply walk out of the West doors, which lead to the student parking lot, Topeka High students do this often. Others miss class because they are being bullied, have family issues they need to tend to, have homework to finish, have to go to work, have anxiety about an assignment or test, and the list goes on. The faculty does attempt to help those who need it, but there are so many students in the school and  some get lost in the crowd.

Truancy is when a student stays away from school without good reason. In Kansas, a student is considered truant when they have three unexcused days in a row, five unexcused days in a semester, or seven unexcused days in a school year. For many, their skipping adds up. According to Lisa Atkinson, who is in charge of truancy at Topeka High, too many missed days can lead to a court date, where the judge will possibly punish students by taking away their cell phones or social media, putting them under house arrest, or even putting them in jail. The realities of being truant do not seem to stop those who skip class.
While it is difficult to keep tabs on every student, something must be done to keep kids coming to school. Missing just 18 days in a school year means chronic absence, and can lead to academic trouble. Students must realize their future depends on how they perform in high school.