Senior year is filled with end-of-high school bonding activities, including senior skip day. It is a day where seniors collectively ditch classes as a boycott against the district that they’ve been within for many years.
The event was popularized after the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” released in the 1980s. The movie portrays the perfect ditch day for students. Unfortunately for many seniors, with college right around the corner, not everyone’s parents allow them to stay home.
“On my senior skip day, I stayed home for the first half but then went to school for the second half of the day. My mom would have been really mad if I skipped math class,” senior Rihanna Fajutaro said.
Even for those who do skip, the day isn’t all relaxation. Some students spend their day studying and being productive.
“I stayed home and studied for my test, then went to the gym and hung out with my friends,” senior Emily Schiller explained.
Skip day is a student-led event, with the class president traditionally informing the principal of the plan.
“Seth Hahn, Senior Class President, notified me the week prior of the students intentions,” Principal Peter Laub noted.
Mr. Laub pointed out that it is not a school sponsored event, and there is no official policy allowing it to occur. The policy document that goes over what days are given as an excused absence is the FCCPS Policy 9.22. Things such as illness, dentist visits and religious holidays are included, with senior ditch day not making the list.
Out of the 250 seniors, 44 of them were unexcused from school, biting the proverbial bullet in favor of relaxation.
“My parents don’t excuse me so all of my absences were unexcused. I was curious whether or not they would try to give me Mustang block detention,” senior Aiden Harper said.
To all seniors facing an unexcused absence for ditching, the punishment will be the same.
“Assistant Principals track student attendance, and any student who is not excused from school receives a detention. Students will be marked UNX (and will not be allowed to participate in athletic/extracurricular activities on the day of). Mr. Snyder and Mr. George, senior class sponsors, do a good job of keeping teachers in the loop,” Laub commented.
Senior skip day is one of the many traditions seniors participate in before they graduate, so let’s hope this event will be continued in the future. Many students may be scared of penalties from school or warnings from their parents, but as long as they don’t miss tests and are excused, everything will be alright.
