Now that the county has its new attendance policy in place, it’s time to look at another issue regarding those repeat offenders of missing school – student attitudes.

Saturday, September 02, 2000

Now that the county has its new attendance policy in place, it’s time to look at another issue regarding those repeat offenders of missing school – student attitudes.

It’s easy to say "I don’t care," zipping away from the parking lot in your car or walking back home in the middle of the day.

Sure, you might have troubles that nobody can understand. But the best way to defeat those problems is learning how to face life’s challenges.

In school, you will learn how to overcome reading difficulties; how to put math, and yourself, to work; how great men and women of history defeated towering obstacles; how to turn lessons into everyday tips for success.

Attendance policies will probably come and go, although this one has teeth and the backing of all districts. Words on paper will not thwart all the I-don’t-care attitudes.

The real lessons that need to be learned may in some cases only come from life itself.

But it’s up to you students to not let that happen.

Skipping school means skipping out on the rest of your life.

You owe it to yourselves, your parents, your future families, to keep going, especially these days when it takes a high school diploma just to get started in the workforce.

Being there for every bell will make more of a difference than you can possibly imagine.