New North Carolina Law Allows 2 Excused School Absences For Religious Holidays

Yesterday's Charlotte (NC) Observer reports on a new law signed last month by North Carolina's governor that requires public schools and colleges in the state to adopt rules giving students a minimum of two excused absences each academic year for religious observances required by the student's faith.  Session Law 2010-112 allows schools to require prior written notice of absences for religious reasons, and requires that students be given an opportunity to make up tests and other work missed due to an excused absence for a religious observance. Rep. Rick Glazier, who co-sponsored the bill, says: "It has to be a bona fide holiday; you don't get to just take the day off because you want to pray at home."