You people DO realize that as soon as you enrole your child into school you have signed over custody of your child to the school during school hours? That's right boys and girls, the school has as much legal authority over your children as you do while in class.
You as a parent not only expect, but DEMAND, that the school protect, teach, and take care of your child while in their care do you not? Then why is it so hard to wrap your brains around the fact the the school also has the right to expect and DEMAND that you as a parent give prior notification when you know in advance that child will not be in class? When a chid doesn't show up to school, they spend hours trying to track down that child, contact the parents, and find out what is going on. Is it too much to ask that a parent inform the school in advance if the child will be absent? Evidently it has become that way so they had to make it a law.
Why do you think that is? Because of ultra melon parents that think they are the end all say all when it comes to their child, when in FACT they aren't once that child is enrolled in school. That's why teachers and school officials are required by law to report cases and suspected cases of child neglect. They ARE responsible for your children just as much as you are.
It's sad that parents in this country have gotten to the point a law like this needs to be in place but it makes 100% sense because if little Johnny wasn't in class and got hurt the parents would be suing the crap out of the school for NOT knowing where little Johnny was when he got hurt, so now little Johnny is required to have prior permission to be out of class and it's the parents responsiblity to provide that prior notice.
If anyone here thinks that you shouldn't have to give that notice, home school your kids and then you don't have to worry about it. If that's not an option, then take some freaking personal responsiblity to inform the people that YOU have entrusted with your childs care during the day if you need to take them out of school prior to doing it.