SALT LAKE CITY — Many Utahns stayed home from work and school Monday to demonstrate what a Day Without Immigrants would look like. But Monday’s absenteeism could also be related to illness or to President Trump’s executive order calling for the removal of undocumented immigrants.
While numbers have not been collected on Monday’s attendance or student absences, Granite School District Spokesperson Andrea Stringham confirmed their district saw an increase in absences. However, Stringham says they cannot pinpoint the exact reason.
“Norovirus, influenza, were really big coming back from winter break, which also just happened to coincide with the time of the inauguration, so it’s hard to tell who’s absent because of the executive orders or who’s absent because of an illness.”
School district “doesn’t ask for specifics”
She said families can indicate if the absence is for medical appointments, illnesses, or personal reasons. But school districts do not ask for specifics.
On Jan. 23, the Granite District released a statement acknowledging President …