Fleming: “Don’t Penalize Kids in Crisis!”

During the 2024 legislative session, State Rep. Rita Fleming (D-Jeffersonville) is proposing legislation that would allow school corporations to excuse a student for a “crisis day,” intended for students who experience a catastrophic event that prevents them from coming to school. 

Reasons for absences vary, but schools are increasingly seeing children unable to attend because of an acute event involving a family member’s overdose, drug-related death or violent behavior.  Under this bill, four organizations can notify school authorities regarding student crises: law enforcement or first responders, a juvenile court, the Department of Child Services (DCS) or a youth shelter. The student would not be penalized as being absent. School personnel will be better prepared to support the student upon return to the classroom. 

Rep. Fleming released the following statement regarding her legislation: 

“Kids didn’t go to schools during the pandemic. Some still don’t. Nearly 1 in 5 children in Indiana are chronically absent. But the 10-year-old awakened by EMS in the early morning hours probably will miss school the next day. His mother had overdosed – again. In the same community, a foster family emergently took in 12-year-old siblings. The kids hadn’t bathed in days, had no clean clothes and had head lice. Across Indiana, these kids and thousands like them are counted as an unexcused absence. My legislation allows these to be considered ‘crisis days.’ These kids shouldn’t be penalized for missing a day of school.

“I’ve heard concerns that ‘crisis days’ could be abused if an absence occurs for a trivial reason i.e. missing the bus. That's why only the four organizations – not a parent or guardian – can call for a crisis day. A maximum of three crisis days per year would be permitted. 

“These children are going through a time of unimaginable hardship and confusion. It’s important that they have support from their school districts instead of being penalized. Children in crisis need time to recover and readjust. These ‘crisis days’ – used as intended – will help them sort through the chaos and be in a better place to learn.”