The chapter discusses the alarming increase in chronic absenteeism among students in the US, examining its impact on academic performance, behavior, routine, and mental health. It sheds light on various factors contributing to student absences, including illness and anxiety, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation touches on disparities between higher and lower-income families in terms of attitudes towards attendance and the unequal impact of absenteeism on privileged and disadvantaged students.
Long after schools have fully reopened after the pandemic, one concerning metric suggests that children and their parents have changed the way they think about being in class.
Sarah Mervosh, an education reporter for The Times, discusses the apparent shift to a culture in which school feels optional.
Guest: Sarah Mervosh, an education reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
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