Various factors contribute to increased school absences, with illness being a significant reason, amplified by the presence of COVID and a changed cultural mindset around attending school or work while sick. Families are more cautious about sending sick children to school, leading to a positive shift in health practices during the pandemic. Schools are now addressing this by emphasizing the mandatory nature of attendance. In addition to sickness, mental health and anxiety are identified as key contributors to student absences, as highlighted in interviews with parents and counselors.
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.
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