Policy on absence of students due to religious OBSERVANCE
Arizona Revised Statues ARS 15-806 requires the governing board of each school district to adopt a policy governing the excuse of students for religious purposes.
The governing board of Khalsa Montessori Elementary School hereby adopts the following policy governing the excuse of pupils for religious purposes. The Khalsa Montessori School permits a pupil to be excused from school attendance for religious purposes, including participation in religious exercises or religious instruction.
Conditions under which a student’s absence will be considered excused due to religious purposes include the following:
- The person who has custody of the pupil shall give written consent to the school office. This written consent will include the dates or duration of the pupil’s absence from the classroom.
- The total number of days of excused absence for religious purposes shall not exceed a total of 10 days within the school year. Any religious observances in excess of 10 days in a year will be considered on an individual case basis by the school administration. In such a situation, the school may request additional documentation from a church or religious denomination or group.
- Any religious instruction or exercise shall take place at a suitable place away from school property designated by the church or religious denomination or group.
- Make-up examinations and work shall be arranged so as not to create an unreasonable burden upon either the student or the instructor or school.
- All religious observances, in all religious traditions, are subject to this policy.