Every year around the end of the semester there are always students who knock on a professor’s door during office hours with an excuse on why they missed a class or an assignment. I have to admit I too have tried this before.
Come on, we’ve all tried the “My dog ate my homework” or “My grandma just passed” excuses before. Sure some may actually have valid excuses but the question is should they need one? Do students have a legal obligation to bring a note for their absences for them to be marked excused?
Could bringing in a note for a specific type of absence be an invasion of privacy? I feel that as college students we are responsible for ourselves and the work we miss in our classes. Therefore it shouldn’t matter whether there’s an excuse for absences or not.
Is it illegal to not bring a note when returning to class after you have been absent? Meaning are we legally obligated to provide a note for not attending class? If the answer to this question is no then I believe a student very well shouldn’t need a note for their absence. If we won’t be legally punished then we should not be required to bring a note.
Another reason a student shouldn’t be required to provide a note for their professor is that it could be an invasion of privacy. The student could very well have a valid excuse for missing class, but it could be an extremely private matter.
Some people may not feel comfortable sharing the reason, or may be unable to provide an actual note for the professor at the time.
If you miss a class it is still your responsibility to contact a classmate or your professor to find out what information you missed for that day or week.
I feel that students shouldn’t need a note for absences because it’s not illegal, and is an invasion of privacy. If a student misses a class or exam regardless of the excuse I believe they are still responsible for the missing work for the class.
