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“It’s time to treat chronic absenteeism as a community crisis” (Rochester Beacon, 11/2/26) represents the epitome of two disconnected, wealthy white men—who don’t have a clue about causes, and certainly not about potential solutions, especially and particularly as it relates to effectively addressing the long-standing, deep-seated issue and problem of chronic absenteeism in the Rochester City School District (RCSD), as well as within predominantly Black, urban school districts throughout this thoroughly racist, white-supremacist-based nation-state (in every direction – North, East, South, and West). The fact that the long-standing issue and problem is so pervasive, especially and particularly with predominantly Black urban school districts in particular – represents the main reason why we KNOW that it is not just one great big coincident, or a fluke of nature, but instead, is LARGELY the cumulative impact and result of decades, if not centuries of racist policies, practices, procedures, rules, regulation, and laws.
It’s nothing short of amazing that the gentlemen would arrive at the conclusion that a main cause of super-high absenteeism is supposedly “demise of shame and personal responsibility.” WHAT???
There is old, conclusive, research-based evidence that absolutely confirms complex causes of high absenteeism rates are attributable to multiple known main-drivers, such as “Health and Medical Needs; Health-Related Social Needs; Transportation & Logistics, and Caregiver Work Constraints.”
The two pundits also do not have a clue regarding potential, viable solutions. For example, one suggested “peer pressure (and) tying state school aid in some way to student attendance—(with with the supposed rationale being that) lower state aid translates to higher local property taxes to make up the funding shortfall. That would likely create parental peer pressure to encourage their friends to ensure their kids are in school because their truancy would drive up your property tax bill.” How silly! One does not have to be an education or financial expert—in order to understand what this illogical idea would predictably result in, i.e., further erosion of decrepit urban, public schools in particular—regarding ability to deliver quality academic, and other types of programs. And, increases in property taxes would surely be passed along to renters who compose the overwhelming majority of RCSD families (many of whom can barely afford current exorbitant rent). Thus, they would be strapped with yet another financial burden, which could very well impact absenteeism. Even the other white fellow expressed a belief that the suggestions above are illogical, but then he turned right around and suggested something just as ridiculous, i.e., tying “access to health care to some form of parental accountability for school attendance—if your child fails to attend school, you lose some health insurance coverage,” which obviously and ultimately, would probably serve to drive absenteeism rates up even higher—due to the fact that such a wild move would inevitably result in sick family members (without medical insurance), being less able to properly care for and attend to their children, and/or sick students missing school because of lack of health insurance. What a “brilliant” idea.
It’s clear that (for the most part) the two wealthy, white gents are operating from a punitive perspective and approach—relative to highly unlikely “solutions.” The best they could come up with regarding non-punitive ideas includes “the mayor, the county executive, leaders at all levels of the community—heck, Josh Allen—on TV, social media, Facebook, Instagram, telling families to get their children to school.” That’s almost laughable.
How about addressing the main conclusive, research-backed drivers?
Howard J. Eagle
Retired RCSD social studies teacher and African & African American Studies adjunct instructor at SUNY Brockport
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