March 16, 2021 – A bill in the Illinois Senate would count mental health days as an excused absence for students. The measure would excuse kids from class for up to five days because of a mental health or behavioral issue. The bill is sponsored by Senator Robert Martwick of Chicago, who says it aims to further remove the stigma about mental health concerns.
He was asked about students taking advantage of the change.
“I don’t mean to be cute about this, but there was a movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.. those kids that are going to abuse the system whose parents aren’t watching them who are going to give them a note to take an excused absence this isn’t applying to them. They’re going to do it whether this exists or not.” said Martwick.
Others are suggesting that this shouldn’t apply to kids who are chronically truant. The bill was passed out of committee and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
