Bill Would Permit Excused Absence If Pupil Aids Vets On Veterans Day

COURT HOUSE – As the Herald reported last November, 10-year-old Lily Fisher is a fifth grader in the Upper Township school system. Fisher honors the spirit of every Veterans Day by serving lunch and giving little gifts to veterans from the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home when they gather at Belleplain VFW post on their annual day of commemoration – Nov. 11.
In this way, Fisher is also able to honor her grandfather, Daniel Batchelor of Belleplain, a Navy veteran having done military duty as an electrician’s mate during the Vietnam War. This past Veterans Day, however, Fisher and her parents learned her absence from school would be marked “unexcused.”
Upper Township school officials explained that under new, more stringent state regulations, an absence is “excused” for only certain purposes, including religious reasons, for example. They also explained that the state evaluates school districts based on their annual absentee rates which then drive the amount of state aid each school receives.
To rectify this situation, Assemblyman Robert Andrzejczak (D-1st) took the initiative and introduced legislation that would encourage students to help, honor or assist veterans and armed forces and National Guard members on Veterans Day without having to take an official absence from school.
Prior to his election to the state Legislature, the assemblyman was a sergeant in the U.S. Army, served in Iraq and was severely injured while on deployment losing his leg in an attack.
On March 19 the Assembly Military and Veteran Affairs Committee approved the legislation as introduced, thus advancing it for final approval and enactment.
Andrzejczak’s proposal provides that a student seeking an excused absence on Veterans Day would need to provide documentation to their school that they had participated in a related activity. Andrzejczak envisions that such activity could include organizing or attending a ceremony honoring armed forces veterans and active duty members, including those who have returned from an overseas deployment or participating in some act of support for veterans at a local hospital, nursing home or dedicated shelter.
“This is a bill that everyone can get behind,” Andrzejczak told the Herald. “It’s a 100 percent patriotic reason to miss a few hours of classroom time and to have students interact more with veterans and active duty service members. They actually can learn about history and the world by talking to these service members and probably learn much more than they could from a book about what is going on.”
According to Andrzejczak the Legislature is fully occupied working out the state’s budget but he is “optimistic that the bill will continue to get the attention it deserves and win enactment during this session.”
“I’m very glad the assemblyman is pushing this bill; it’s the right thing to do,” said Batchelor. “In my opinion, the kids will learn a whole more from this experience than missing a few hours in school. Lily will continue to serve and her 6-year-old sister Hailey also helped out this past Veterans Day and she’ll continue to serve our veterans as well,” he added.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.
For previous coverage, go to:
– ‘Unexcused’ Student Serves Vets Nov. 11: http://goo.gl/0Dv1VC
– Upper Township Superintendent Clarifies Upper’s Policy: http://goo.gl/pEFwrU