Against Mandatory Attendance Policies in College

Mandatory Attendance Policies

While studying or even registering for a class presents a challenge to some college students, the greatest obstacle remains, going to class. Attending college is supposed to signify a new found freedom to make many important choices regarding education without high school mandatory attendance policies. However, students everywhere are coming to the staggering realization that college is not too different from high school. Teachers still take class roll and students are still expected to be at every class on time. What next, hall monitors in the hall? The time has come for action to be taken. Colleges must abolish mandatory student attendance policies for several reasons to be further discussed.

First, in order to enroll in college, mandatory attendance in a previous educational institution is required. For most, this record consists of 13 years of mandatory classroom attendance prior to college. It is a valid argument that the continuation of this policy is effective for job preparation in that it teaches accountability and self-discipline. But if a student is required by a higher authority to do something, is it really self-discipline? No, it is merely a high school power struggle between student and teacher that has some how found its way in to the classrooms of colleges everywhere. This policy teaches students that in his or her future, if attendance at a particular event is important, someone will be there to mandate it. The mandato...