ABA absence requirement -- Any way to get around it? Forum

[westie25]

I need help! I'm so incredibly frustrated with my law school. I've been having major medical issues. This semester it's caused me to miss classes due to the illnesses, and due to tests and doctors appointments, etc. My doctors are requiring a treatment that would require me to miss 7 days of class--I'm already at the limit. The school is saying the ABA would refuse to allow me to sit for exams if I miss. I have to miss; I have no choice. Pretty much they're suggesting taking a loss for this semester & withdrawing. I'm sure I'll be fine as all professors record lectures, so I'm not exactly missing much. However, they're saying that doesn't count or matter.

Please help! Any suggestions? Anything I can say to the school?

[Paul Campos]

The ABA standard on attendance is actually very vague -- it just requires "regular and punctual attendance," and leaves it up to schools to have their own attendance policies. There's nothing to stop a school from having an attendance policy that excuses absences for medical reasons, and/or allows for accomodations like listening to recorded classes, so if your school doesn't have such a policy that's on it, not the ABA.

[yips]

Do your profs take attendance in each class? I mean, how would they know if you're not there? (Maybe I've grown cynical in my massive lectures where professors really could not care less whether any particular student is there on any particular day....)

Could you talk to your professors to see if you could work something out? They are recording the lectures, after all, so it seems like you might be able to convince them to do their professorial duty and ignore your absence.

[Pokemon]

I need help! I'm so incredibly frustrated with my law school. I've been having major medical issues. This semester it's caused me to miss classes due to the illnesses, and due to tests and doctors appointments, etc. My doctors are requiring a treatment that would require me to miss 7 days of class--I'm already at the limit. The school is saying the ABA would refuse to allow me to sit for exams if I miss. I have to miss; I have no choice. Pretty much they're suggesting taking a loss for this semester & withdrawing. I'm sure I'll be fine as all professors record lectures, so I'm not exactly missing much. However, they're saying that doesn't count or matter.

Please help! Any suggestions? Anything I can say to the school?

If ABA would refuse people to sit for exams because they are missing class, then I should not have sat in like 3-4 exams. Though, if you are a 1L, considering how important grades are, it might be worth it to take a leave of absence until you sort your medical issues.

[westie25]

Thanks for the responses. Yes, all professors rigidly take attendance in every class and report absences to the administrative office. And the administrative office in turn hounds you about it. They also give grade demotions, which I'm having to take for two classes b/c of the medical issues. They're being completely inflexible about this. The professors who responded to me said they would do what they could within the constrains of the school. So...pretty much...nothing. At this point, I have to stick it out. The school has 100% pissed me off.