PA dad's response to children's unexcused absence from school goes viral

A Philadelphia-area father is fighting to change an unexcused absence policy at his children's school.

Mike Rossi pulled his kids out of class for three days for what he calls a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.

Last week, he achieved his dream of running in the Boston Marathon with his wife and twins there to cheer him on.

He says along with witnessing triumph, he also took the kids to memorials for marathon bombing victims, and other educational stops in the city.

However, administrators at Rydal Elementary school in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, are standing by the school's unexcused absence policy.

The principal sent the Rossis a letter saying the Abington School District does not recognize family trips as excused absences - educational or not - and marked those three missed days as unexcused.

The parent handbook says after three of those a criminal complaint will be filed without warning.

Rossi's response is going viral as he promises the principal that his kids learned as much in those few days in Boston as they would in an entire year in school.

You can read Rossi's response on his Facebook page.

He's now fighting to change that school policy in his district.

Action News reached out to the superintendent but has not received a response.