Carol Doherty, previously a five-term Taunton School Committee member and now the 3rd Bristol District State Representative serving parts of Taunton and Easton. Doherty is the daughter of an immigrant family. Her mother came to America at the age of four from the island of Madeira and her father’s family came from Cape Verde. She has lived in Taunton since 1965.
This bill requires school districts to allow a minimum of two excused absences in a six month period for mental or behavioral health reasons without a diagnosis by a medical professional. Parents/guardians do not need to provide a further explanation for such an excused absence. Students who utilize these excused absences would be offered the opportunity to meet with a certified school counselor but would not be required to do so. Similar legislation has already been passed in Oregon, Maine, Colorado, and Virginia, and there are more bills pending in numerous other states.