Missing class because of a religious holiday should never result in unexcused absences.

And ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, is working on changing MSU's Religious Observance Policy.

Our student government wants the university to form a more specific Religious Observance Policy while taking into consideration students who participate in religious holidays that require absences and missed assignments.

It's about time. A policy like this should already be in place.

Punishing students for missing school on account of religion is not only unfair but also it goes against the notion that diversity should be celebrated.

Obviously, we live in the Western part of the world. And Western society is built on Christian beliefs and follows a Christian schedule.

It's no coincidence that MSU's breaks land on certain Christian holidays, such as Christmas. But should students who don't celebrate such holidays be reprimanded for missing class during their own religious celebrations?

Absolutely not.

A student who practices a religion that isn't Christian-based shouldn't be forced to squeeze their religion into allotted days or accept unexcused absences and lowered grades.

Most attendance policies for MSU courses include at least one "free" day. This is a day that students are excused from missing class for reasons such as illness, a death in the family or religious holidays. But once these days are used up, a student's grade can suffer.

Beyond religious reasons, attendance policies are ridiculous. We're adults who can vote, buy cigarettes, go to war and we're paying thousands of dollars to be in college. We should have the option, and intelligence, to decide when we do or do not attend class.

But until we get that degree of freedom in our academic careers, non-Christian religious holidays seem like such basic exceptions to include in the policy.

MSU's Religious Observance Policy should be made to respect them.