Reasons not to go to school today

My day job is teaching. My real passion is spending time with my family.

A traditional education can be harmful to students—here are nine reasons to consider keeping your child out of school.

Photo by stux from Pixabay via Canva

Is School Bad for Kids? Why We Don't Need School

Do you have a child who is troubled, doesn't fit in, or simply doesn't excel in the classroom? Perhaps you should consider alternative education methods, such as homeschooling.

Adults often say, "I went to school, and I turned out just fine." This may be true, but every child is unique. The cons of public school education, including peer pressure, access to drugs, and government-mandated learning objectives and testing requirements, may outweigh the pros for some students.

Below are nine reasons why your kid shouldn't go to school.

9 Reasons to Not Go to School

1. Bullying
2. Obesity
3. Street Drugs
4. Prescription Drugs
5. Socialization
6. State and Federally Mandated Objectives
7. Artificial Environment
8. Standardized Testing
9. Lack of Learning

1. Bullying

One reason to consider keeping your kids from school is bullying—aggressive or hurtful words or actions that create a power imbalance and negatively affect all involved, including the bullied student, the bully, and bystanders.

Bullying is a serious issue in schools; around 20% of students are bullied, yet less than half of them report the bullying incidents to adults at the school. About 15% of reported bullying is online or by text—also known as cyberbullying.

The effects of bullying don't stop in the classroom. Victims of bullying can be affected by this behavior into adulthood, so if you're considering keeping your child out of school due to concerns about the negative impact bullying may have on them, you certainly have a right to be concerned.

Bullying is also experienced by adults, including in the workplace, among family members, at PTA meetings, and in virtually every setting imaginable. So, while keeping your child out of school may prevent them from being bullied at a young age, regardless of how they were educated, they are likely to witness or experience bullying at some point in their lives.

2. Obesity

Studies have shown that you are more likely to be overweight if your closest friends are overweight. Pack the students together, feed them all the same highly processed food for breakfast and lunch, and they will inevitably grow wider.

American schools do offer healthy lunch options, but many students bring unhealthy snacks and meals from home, or older students have open-campus lunches and eat fast food instead of healthy, nutritious meals.

Nearly 20% of children in the United States are considered overweight, and physical activities and recess take a backseat to the academic elements of public education. Bad eating habits and a lack of emphasis on physical activity are important reasons kids should stay out of school.

Keeping your kid away from school helps to keep them away from drugs, too.

Amritanshu Sikdar, via Unsplash

3. Street Drugs

Right now, your child knows that if they want to find an illegal drug, they simply have to contact the right person. This is something that all students (and teachers) are aware of, and the basic laws of supply and demand ensure that drugs on campus aren't going away anytime soon.

According to the CDC, 15% of high school students have used hard drugs or injected drugs, while half have tried marijuana. Substance abuse has serious effects on students' academic performance, physical and mental health, and relationships with family and peers. Students who abuse drugs are more likely to drop out of school or end up in the juvenile justice system.

As much as we might want to say, "That doesn't happen at my kid's school!" the fact is, it does.

Prescriptions drugs are also a danger on school campuses.

Jonathan Perez, via Unsplash

4. Prescription Drugs

Even if you aren't concerned about your child gaining access to illicit street drugs, prescription medications, such as stimulants (like Adderall), depressants (like Xanax), and opioids (like OxyContin), can be found in many households. Not only are adults in possession of prescription medications, but you'd be surprised how many students themselves are on some form of behavioral medication.

A kid who doesn't fit the mold is usually referred to a counselor. That counselor then refers the student to a psychiatrist, where the student may be prescribed some pretty heavy-duty, mind-altering drugs.

Regardless of whether a student or other member of the household is the one with the prescription, students are able to access these drugs for themselves or to share with or sell to their peers. Prescription drug abuse is less common than alcohol or marijuana use, but the effects can be devastating.

Nearly half of teens who reported using prescription drugs said they obtained the drugs from a friend or relative. Teens who use prescription drugs are more likely to use other drugs, including alcohol and cigarettes, and engage in risky behavior overall. Therefore, keeping your child out of school may prevent them from getting access to these drugs from peers and being influenced by peer pressure to consume prescription drugs and other illicit substances.

5. Socialization

When a parent says they homeschool their kids, the first question from everyone's lips is, "How are they socialized?" Many believe that kids who do not attend school are bound to be abnormal, socially awkward individuals who are unable to work with other people.

The question is, though, have those people ever thought about the type of socialization that is offered at school?

Kids may be bullied and be subjected to peer pressure, and public schools encourage conformity by implementing grade-level learning standards, enforcing arbitrary learning standards, and more.

Schools provide the same type of socialization prisons provide. Students are taught to walk through desolate hallways, sit quietly for long periods of time, listen to authority figures, and be like everyone else. To be fair, there is socialization at school, but do you really want your child to be socialized in that way?

Studies show that homeschooled students are on par with their peers in traditional education systems in terms of social, psychological, and emotional development and may also be more politically tolerant and involved in community activities later in life. So while public school students are socialized differently, the stereotype of a socially awkward homeschooled kid is far from reality.

6. State and Federally Mandated Objectives

There are not enough days in a school year to incorporate all the objectives set forth by the various governmental agencies. To keep up with impossible deadlines, teachers shove information down students' throats without worrying whether or not they are actually retaining any of the information.

Even more concerning is that the subjects are often far from relevant. Does a fifth-grader really need to know what a dangling participle is?

Standards-based education is not necessarily in the best interest of the students. Standards-based assessments emphasize achieving a certain score rather than fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of learning.

We are all good at certain subjects, yet we require schoolchildren to be great at all of them. This is completely out of whack with the skills people actually need in their day-to-day lives.

7. Artificial Environment

Where else are human beings grouped together like they are in school, where their entire day is controlled by an authority figure who dictates what they are allowed to do and when they are allowed to do it?

The only place that comes to mind is prison.

Many of the lessons taught in these artificial environments have no practical application and are only taught so that students can pass standardized testing.

Often, educators "teach the test" so that students can do well on standardized testing, securing funding for school districts and teacher salaries.

Brian Cantoni, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

8. Standardized Testing

Students are no longer learning subject matter; they are learning how to eliminate choices B and D on a Scantron. That way, they have a 50/50 shot at getting the right answer. Teachers call it "good test-taking skills" and could care less whether the student is actually retaining the material.

Standardized test scores often measure superficial thinking, don't take into account socioeconomic factors, and don't accurately measure the quality of learning or teaching at a given educational institution.

Yet, still, standardized test scores factor into determining school budgets and teacher salaries. So, teachers are incentivized to "teach the test," limiting students' creativity and ability to learn new skills not required by standardized tests.

9. Lack of Learning

I shouldn't make such a blanket statement, but I will say that true learning has gone by the wayside. The typical cycle is cram, memorize, regurgitate, and forget. Students have material splattered at them at such an incredible pace that they have no choice but to memorize the material, then make space for more.

They've been conditioned to perform when needed at the expense of having a true understanding of what they are learning at school.

We are shortchanging students on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis. Is it any wonder that our students are so unprepared when they graduate?

Our Students Deserve Better

Demand better and take your kid(s) out of school to make a point. Most, but not all, teachers work very hard, but one drawback is that many have never been out of the school system.

These teachers started school as kindergarteners, went to junior high, high school, college, and at age 22, stepped right back into the school system as a teacher. It is all they know.

The world around us has progressed, but in many ways, the school system operates in the same manner it did in 1952. How many companies operate on the same platform as they did half a century ago and are still around?

bamidele marvellous on August 13, 2020:

how did you write this blog if you did not go to school

CHICKEN NUGGETS on April 07, 2020:

Well, you know your thing!

yeet on April 02, 2020:

Nice article.

yessiritsme on March 30, 2020:

i think that school is great

Ryleigh on March 24, 2020:

Im a girl 6th grade student and school sucks. Even with all this covid 19 stuff im bored cause i hate staying inside and doing school seems like it would give you something to do righ? NOPe it just makes you even more board so yeah school sucks

Boymom15 on March 15, 2020:

Thank you! I have a 5 year-old and yes being homeschooled. My reasons? As his parent, it's my job to get him through life with as little damage as possible. I'm NOT doing that but sending him to a building where there's a possibility that his teacher is some morally bankrupt child molester, where the kids who's been bullied finally has enough and walks in killing everyone he sees, where he could be bullied to the point of suicideby

Elijah on March 06, 2020:

I think to myself, " what is the point of Middle School and High School? ". I often think about this and yea I kinda agree to go to school to learn the basics , but there should be no reason whatsoever so attend middle school or High School. What I found on this website was very helpful to me. Even with the coronavirus running around. I am a CCSD student in Middle School 6th Grade. Attending Thurman White Academy of the Performing Arts. So there should be no reason to attend middle school and/or High School. People in high school sometimes get Bullied or Humiliated for their looks or what they think. So I think this is the reasoning to NOT go to school. I hope some people younger and/or older than me find this document helpful. I send all of my support to the Writer of this document.

1 hour ago on March 06, 2020:

School and middle school are useless, these are designed to make students feel uncomfortable and subject to the authority of the teachers, parents and social pressure that tells you ''please study hard, is for your sake!!! ''for your future!!!''.

It always been depressing and sad to wake up early in the cold and rainy mornings of winter and knowing that on a Monday I couldn't take a nap because I had to study for an exam on Tuesday.

High School bring me bad memories, a very bad social ambience of competence and extreme obsession with getting good grades, and by the other hand it wasn't pleasant to listen my teachers and to interact with arrogant students who yelled at me because when we work in groups I was very clumsy and lazy.

If one day I have kids, I will make sure I will never ever bring them to school neither middle school, is useless, you don't learn anything, and you can get bullied by thugs trying to act like 30 year old adults. These are torture camps make to brainwash young students into repeating the same things, studying boring things like history, maths, literature, science that are much more interesting to learn in the Internet or in a library.

What's worth about going to high school?? Absolutely nothing, only making good friends was the worthier thing, if rarely, because the social ambience of modern education is too toxic to make good friends, and is filled with edgy teenagers with social networks at young ages, competitiveness, guys acting like they are grown adults, angry teachers, guys smoking weed, exams and too much stress.

Anthony on March 05, 2020:

Kids should be homeschooled

carlos flores vargas on March 04, 2020:

In many parts of the world it's not as easy as raising your hand and asking to go to the toilet. Many girls - particularly adolescents who are menstruating - don't go to school because of a lack of privacy, unavailability of sanitary disposal facilities and water shortages

bryson on March 02, 2020:

kids should not have school because 99% of what we learn we forget

elijah on February 27, 2020:

i ###### hate school who agrees

jackson on February 25, 2020:

school is trash

Him White on February 19, 2020:

You should all go back to school for a bit. Horrible grammar.

Dang Chickens on February 19, 2020:

Goooooooooood

this is dumb on February 11, 2020:

this page is dumbe

everyone is a bot on February 11, 2020:

this is stu

Matt on February 02, 2020:

I agree to. it's not just those problems, it's the fact how long you spend your life in school. For me a world without school would be weird because that's all I know. Australia (where I live) currently has some of the most dumbest kids on the planet that has schools. The problem isn't just because of education funding, it's because students feel like they're in prison, they get stressed and sometimes depressed. I don't know even a single person who likes school, not even one person.

sandluca on January 09, 2020:

I agree with this! I literally have social anxiety and I don’t even have friends in my classroom! I hate the fact that other kids can be idiots and bullies. Whoever invented school should be ashamed

qwerty on January 01, 2020:

I agree with this! I literally have social anxiety and I don’t even have friends in my classroom! I hate the fact that other kids can be idiots and bullies. Whoever invented school should be ashamed

maddrox on December 05, 2019:

why this site

jrhusltown on December 04, 2019:

school gives us way to much info you should sign up to have more info

dezzeniutx on December 01, 2019:

they bots

Roman.Tackett on November 21, 2019:

They don´t teach right some times

FaZe Sway on November 20, 2019:

So true

scarlett jordan on November 19, 2019:

sooo true yo

Bingabee9 on November 14, 2019:

SOO TRUE

ProChick17 on October 21, 2019:

if you stay at home you can eat chickennuggets and sleep in

CherryLatte on October 21, 2019:

Spicy Memes

Technically it's not illegal to not make your child go to school. There is homeschooling and a little thing called unschooling. Personally, unschooling is the better of the options but either works better than public school would. The government only needs to know that you are choosing to do this instead and then you don't need to force a kid to go somewhere absolutely horrible.

CherryLatte on October 21, 2019:

I have more to add, school is not the only place to socialize kids. There are outside activities kids may enjoy like archery, horseback, ice skating, just going for a walk, etc. There are clubs out there in the world, it would be more beneficial for kids to meet where they want to be rather than a place they are forced to go to clumped in a random group of other kids and one teacher.

CherryLatte on October 21, 2019:

I 100% agree with everything on this list! Not to mention that most of the time everything done at school could be done at home in possibly less time and with more focus on an individual rather than trying to find the line of best fit as we learn in math. It would be better to have a nonlinear line that accommodates for every student instead of working to make as many as possible, more people could succeed with personal pathways. We have computers in libraries, for those who don't have enough money, that they could use to learn things on their own path. Ideally everyone could have their own technology but that's most likely not happening especially not anytime soon. Education could be online and personal while being free, there could be ads on the site and students could pay for merch if they wanted to. There could be less tax this way too if there was not really a need for these factory schools.

&*%&&&^$%%&^*&^(*^&^&*^ on October 15, 2019:

good job

kessler on September 05, 2019:

I hate what schools are doing to children, and wish we could do something about it. However, you and everyone you know is on the government list from when they are born to when they die. Are greatest plan is forming a malitia towards both schools and government power. lets stand together and prevent ourselves from getting polluted. A malitia is are best line of defense. This goes for both children and adults.

jamie on September 02, 2019:

Ideally, I think children should be encouraged to figure out what they are passionate about and then get involved in learning environments geared toward those passions, allowing kids to set their own pace. I also think everyone should think of themselves as both a teacher and student, so that each interaction is an opportunity for discovery.

??? on August 21, 2019:

School won’t make you take drugs

what on August 13, 2019:

good

Mike maloney. on August 12, 2019:

I am glad to see that all the privelaged people who can afford to stay home and home school their kids are raising successful humans. It is nice to know that when a parent can meet all the basic needs of their child and values education that the child can grow up and become a success. Pat yourself on the back here. Confirm your bias. Truth is, your child isnt having anywhere near the struggles of the orphaaned kid who is getting beaten and/or molested by caregiver and caant be bothered to focus at school cuz well...there life is hard.

Rikki on July 31, 2019:

As a current student, going into my senior year, I cannot tell you how enraged I am. My entire childhood wasted! Yes, there have been a few things I learned in school like writing and reading, but most of it is just hogwash. Not to mention the amount of sleep teenagers need is ignored, as are the different ways people learn. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you why we have a mental health epidemic and an increasing suicide rate. SCHOOL. (Yes there are other factors, but this is a large one.) If anyone has the courage to argue this, try talking to me or any other student who has had to TALK THEIR FRIENDS OUT OF SUICIDE because of school stresses!

noobiey =] on July 11, 2019:

this is interesting (=[)

UGGH on July 10, 2019:

this is me again still TRASH

Hello on June 10, 2019:

I'm sorry but you are ignoring the fact that kids will have an extremely hard time socializing later in life because they didn't grow up closely with peers. They would also miss out on meeting life long friends, for example, I never would have become friends with my best friend if it wasn't for school. The current parent generation has taken to babying there children to much and will only result in a generation unable to function with each other without the help of their parents.

PJ on June 03, 2019:

so many people are half dead their whole lives and school is a great foundation for this. It just kills humanity. Kids learn in spite of the bullshit worksheets. They make meaningful connections in spite of how shut down emotionally things often are. Socializing is often like something out of Lord of the Flies.

Natureforlife on May 16, 2019:

@Dumb,

I'm surprised you're even reading this with such ignorance at your fingertips

Vincent on May 13, 2019:

I think that me and my sister are going through the exact same thing that the article just stated. On the other hand, I have many friends that I may have not met if it wasn't for school. So in a way I agree and disagree with this article.

Dumb on May 08, 2019:

This article is dumb. School is a part of life. It’s like saying anti-Vaxx is good

unkown on May 06, 2019:

I clicked on this because I have a project on it in school. How does humiliation go in effect with school, like maybe I peed my self at school in preschool but I wasn't humiliated? This also goes with testing, testing is good, not bad plus it helps the person know what they should work on like studying.

unknown on May 04, 2019:

i don't know what to be thinking about school after I saw this.

luke870 on May 01, 2019:

you said the true things

sam on April 25, 2019:

I clicked on this article bc im in school and bored... but this is so dumb lmao

Yeah humiliation is a part of school, just like any other product that could come out of a conversation... You shouldn't shelter your kids from school because of things like that. I think it's better to be exposed to things like humiliation and embarrassment rather than shelter kids from them; you just adapt and learn how to manage it, if you have good parents they'll process it with you and you learn. its a natural part of life. what happens when they grow up and experience it as an adult but they haven't learned any tools to help cope because they were sheltered from all bad emotions under the sun as a kid? what if your kid has adhd and they need meds? would "mind altering drugs" that actually supply their brain with the right chemicals to function better really be that bad? I have adhd and im so grateful that i have my medication. the part about socialization is absolutely ludicrous. Your kid(s) will make friends and adapt... its not all black and white. Ive met all of my best friends at school. the one about testing is literally all just plain wrong. its not a guessing game. if your kid pays attention in class and the teacher is decent, they'll know how to take the freaking test. This is so dumb.

AnaHi Moreno on April 22, 2019:

i think kids shouldnt go to school because school is stupid and and a waste of time

Keriane on April 22, 2019:

school have also thier advantages

steve from minecraft on April 17, 2019:

what the heck

Jason on April 16, 2019:

School is 99.9% useless. The only good thing we learn is how to speak and read, Even then it's mostly learned from parents.

jake paull on April 15, 2019:

school makes me pee my pants all the time

Blindmountain on April 05, 2019:

school is very stupid, to find out read this article very well

andfe on April 04, 2019:

screw school

spicy memes on April 02, 2019:

I love how they think its legal to not make your kids go to school

ro-z on March 29, 2019:

I love school more than anything!!!

aiden on March 28, 2019:

school makes me deppressed

debate on March 20, 2019:

booo no school

Secret Agent on March 13, 2019:

I'm in school right now and I hate it who is the same

One angry parent on March 04, 2019:

I still think that parents should be responsible for there children. Why do we want all our kids to be the same government grown children they are today. I am trying to homeschool mine to be ready for the world but, it's too expensive and the government daycare "school" will see to it that your doing wrong and try to get you arested or even worse, take your kids away. What is wrong with a child that just wants to be a kid before they have to work the rest of there lives

happyboy on February 27, 2019:

same

JAS on February 21, 2019:

Learning extra subjects prepare you for the future when a job comes up that is out of your expertise .

Smart One on February 19, 2019:

We need school to show that we are learning and that we are getting the right of knowledge to remember our history. People in these comments need school because they do not know how to spell, use the English they were taught too. Go to school

I LIKE SCOOL on February 19, 2019:

Umm, no

lavaking111111 on February 19, 2019:

one more thing it keep from your famley

Ben Blink on February 15, 2019:

That's not even all!! I know from personal experience, and I can tell you, IT GETS WORSE. Riddle me this, Should a kid experience depression in the 6th grade? NO!! but that's what i went through. I am better now, and am going to Florida Virtual School. I personally recommenced virtual school, and, I'm doing it now, but at my own pace.

good girl on February 03, 2019:

this is all good for kids to know but no one cares ok?

Bob on January 30, 2019:

My name is bob i have a wife and three kids and I approve this

Bill brother on January 30, 2019:

This is good

Bill on January 30, 2019:

This is all true

Thomas Hazel on January 30, 2019:

I agree with all of these reasons, the government should look deeply into this article and consider re instating school laws.

Bill on January 28, 2019:

I agree with this and I am in elementary

Jess on January 09, 2019:

All 9 of my children were in school until I read this be thought about it they are all home schooled by me now.

Mac on November 30, 2018:

Everything above that you said is true. I’m going through this and have since my daughter was in kinder. She is now in 6th grade. Nothing is that much better. The system has no way of helping struggling students in common core and other subjects. They only want picture perfect cookie cutter robot students. If your child is not that? Parents be very hands on. I struggled. My siblings did and somehow our teachers had a system of knowing us as individuals. Not anymore. You’re are basically shunned if you don’t perform to their perfection. Very sad.

dom on November 15, 2018:

I dise like school

Gill Mahoney from Italy on November 11, 2018:

I feel very very strongly about this, and educated my children at home. They are now in their 30’s and doing well. I passionately wrote a book about and called ‘Why you should’nt send your child to school’. for dozens of reasons, which I saw clearly before I began home educating. My kids did’nt want to be drawn into it so I had to use a pseudonym ( carole richards), if your interested. I wanted to back to home educators, and tempt non home educators to have a go, and remind those who are so keenly sending their kids to schook exactly what damage it might do. I am always glad to hear other people are on my wavelength. I hope you don’t mind my mentioning it on here, Gc Mahoney

#love on October 29, 2018:

I think school is important but it's ok

school on October 16, 2018:

you should not hate school

Small on October 01, 2018:

I think that our kids should go to schools that do have kids that sell drugs so I know that my kids are safe and they are not getting high and they are learning and doing drugs.

MyTimeAlone (author) on September 24, 2018:

School's not mandatory, but it does take a complete lifestyle change to keep your kid at home. Homeschooling groups are terrific and there are more and more online/partial day charter schools popping up. If your child needs to go to school, the best you can do is be an advocate and try to instill your values.

Daisy on September 19, 2018:

I would gladly take my child out of school, however if I do, I become criminally responsible because elementary school is mandatory. Now both my child and I are suffering. We both hate school.

Chris on September 17, 2018:

All the ignorant old farts will be deceased one day which is our opportunity to change the world for the better. Minimize unnecessary suffering caused by these bastards and revamp the system.

Miranda on September 10, 2018:

Happy

Kelz on August 28, 2018:

Not every student has a positive home life or caring parents. For me, school was a sanctuary where I learned that there are people that care about me. I'm now a teacher myself and the school I work at is nothing like you described. There are so many caring teachers and kindness is promoted. You should look into a different school with educators that have a true passion for students

Unicorn on August 23, 2018:

I fell like kids should go to school because if they are being humiliated and bulled they should still go to school. And yes what you said was true but we go to school for an edgacation. And some of the things you said could be avoided.

maria on May 24, 2018:

I think you are wrong because there is places that they don't have everything like this person who put the this website has it all because it has a computer but other people don't like all this people that comment here has it all even when you say " i wish i have this" no you are wrong that's why you no wait everybody needs to appreciate what they have and if you don't then you are just a dumb person.

Art FA on May 23, 2018:

Agree

I hate school.

Dub on May 21, 2018:

Yea I tots agree I HATE SCHOOL SO MUCH

Cat on May 14, 2018:

Don't get me wrong, school is flawed for sure but being homeschooling is not for everyone. One of the redeeming points of school is that you meet new people. My parents and siblings aren't always understanding and i think I would be a trash person if I didn't have friends that gave me advice. This article is quite dramatic in that portion in comparing school to a prison. A prision is just a bit harsher if i do say so myself. As much as I hate school sometimes I don't think homeschooling is good for everyone. Still, the bit about learning is absolutely true. It is mostly cram, memorize, regurgitate and forget. I apologize for any mistakes, English isn't my first language.

Lillian Henry on May 07, 2018:

I agree with everything. And I hate school

nikki manaj on May 03, 2018:

i really hate school when i was little . This is why im in HOLLYWOOD, making my videos

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX on April 23, 2018:

welp guess we can always crash a bunch of school servers.

hellsecs coming.

lmao on April 19, 2018:

I mean we all die one day right so whats the point in school because the majority of the human race lives to 80 -90 years old so it is very very dunb to waste 18 years of our precious life

lmao on April 19, 2018:

school is dum and thats all

free on April 10, 2018:

it is true

Dab on March 26, 2018:

This is all true

Kidster on March 22, 2018:

You also might want to add how the huge burden of unnecessary tests and useless assignments, which doesn't finish even at 3:00 am, ruin our health because we do not get enough sleep and we have to wake up again early in the morning only to find that the work is still incomplete, especially if u are doing GCE O level, GCSE or IGCSE, and then at school when the teacher is teaching something we can't concentrate because we feel sleepy there.

Kidster on March 22, 2018:

You also might want to add how the huge burden of unnecessary tests and useless assignments, which doesn't finish even at 3:00 am, ruin our health because we do not get enough sleep and we have to wake up again early in the morning only to find that the work is still incomplete, especially if u are doing GCE O level, GCSE or IGCSE.

What are some good excuses for being absent?

How do you say I'm not coming to school?