Senior skip day is a tradition where seniors collectively decide on a date when they miss a day of school to spend time with each other or just simply stay home and rest. Activities can include hanging out at places such as the mall, restaurants or going to local locations.
While senior skip day cannot be tied to an original start date, many attribute the tradition of senior skip day to its increasing popularity in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, following the release of the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986).
However, romanticizing the idea of missing a day of school to participate in senior skip day doesn’t change the fact that most of a grade level being absent messes with the schedule of students and staff.
Teachers and staff should be informed about senior skip days in advance since having most seniors absent without notice can disrupt class plans and daily schedules.
“I had to not teach my lesson because I had too many people who would miss it and who wouldn’t have known how to do the lesson,” teacher Joanna Allinson said.
With the most recent senior skip day on Dec. 1, numerous teachers, who teach classes with seniors, were unable to teach their lessons, and they ultimately resorted to making the day a workday, not because they wanted to, but because teaching a near empty classroom is pointless. Students view participation in the tradition as harmless, but teachers like Allinson see long-term consequences.
“I have students who might not graduate if they miss additional days because they need to get the work done… it’s just encouraging a bad habit in my opinion,” Allinson added.
Senior skip day influences students to be truant, and it is also an unexcused absence without a parent note, which leads students to fall behind on assignments and miss lectures. If everyone skips a senior-only class, there is nobody to teach.
“As teachers, one of the best skills that you can learn is to be flexible,” history teacher Josh Fountain said.
Teachers must have strong adaptability skills since schedules and unplanned plans change almost every day.
Ultimately, while senior skip day will continue to remain a long-standing tradition each year, its impact stretches further for the teachers who plan, adjust and support students daily.
Clearer communication between teachers and students would help them prepare and avoid disruptions in their classes. Staff members want students to understand the impact that missing school days have on student learning.
