Making excuses is an epidemic and something people learn at a very young age. In a school, they run rampant. Parents and students should both be aware that teachers, especially the more experienced ones, are suspicious the instant they see a note from home. In his book Teacher Man, veteran teacher Frank McCourt (author of Angela’s Ashes), hilariously recounts his encounters with excuse notes. He acknowledges, as do I, that he has received many a note obviously written by the student but signed blindly by a hurried parent. Too, bad.