EAGLE POINT, Ore. — A 15-year-old used a loophole in her high school’s enrollment system to permanently check herself out of school earlier this month, fooling her mother and school officials.
Kim Curry said her daughter, Shashana Avakian, was truant for more than a month from Eagle Point High School before she noticed.
"My first thought is the same as I know everyone else’s: How could I not know?" said Curry, a working mother. "But our routine looked the same. She talked about homework. I had no idea until she finally confessed to me."
Curry said Shashana recently moved in with her, after living with her father and grandmother in California. The girl later explained she hadn’t made new friends easily and particularly hated her biology class, so she decided life would be better if she didn’t have to go to school.
In late October, Curry said, Shashana took the school’s single sheet enrollment drop form to her teachers and had them sign her out of class. The form did not require a parent’s signature.
Shashana also set about fooling her mother she was living life as a typical sophomore.
"She got up every morning and got dressed for school," Curry said. "I got her report card. It was all A’s and B’s."
Principal Mari Brabbin called it "one of those very bizarre situations," but the school now requires a parent’s signature on the enrollment form.
Curry said her daughter has since re-enrolled, and is enjoying being a "real" student again.
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