Students warned not to ditch school for ACL festival

- Austin American Statesman, By Benjamin Wurmund, 10/3/13
- Local issue
- Education
- Policy is needed for this issue
- This issue affects students, parents, educators and funding for schools.

Stephen F. Austin High School is having difficulty with students ditching school to attend the ACL fest. The festival is located directly across the street from the school in Zilker Park. The music can be heard from the school; students say they can hear the music perfectly while in class. The problem is that students are ditching school on the Friday of the festival. When students miss school they can't make up the work they missed. And, missing school for the festival is considered an unexcused absence. Unless the students get a note from the parents, or a note "signed" by their parents, they aren't going. 

I remember being in high school and if there was a music festival across the street I don’t think I'd be in class either. It seems strange to be that so many students are ditching school that it has become a problem. First of all, you have to have a wristband to enter the festival. And, most high school students don’t have the money to purchase a wristband. 

The large issue is that the school looses funding when students are absent. For every day a student is absent they miss out on roughly 40$ a student. That amount of money adds up quickly. I propose a policy to help the ACL fest, local austenite and the students at schools within walking distance of the festival. If students attend school, for the full day, on days of the festival I think they should be allowed a discounted wristband for one of the weekend days. The policy gives a student discount, and helps local education receive the funding they desperately need.