While the letter may seem kind of funny to most of us, I do not think it is a joke. Every area and school is different in what is required for absences. Here in my very rural area you just talk to the teachers and/or principal and make the appropriate arrangements for your child to make up for what they miss, there is no formal process do go through. In some places, as others have posted, there are specific things required to get an approved absence one of which may be showing that there will be some type of educational aspect to the trip. One person mentioned there child doing a report of some sort on their trip, I have known of some children around here who have done that as well, especially if they do something (such as visit a country in Epcot) that falls into something they are learning in class at that time. Of course you dont really need a schools approval to do what you wish with YOUR kids but the school certainly can hold unexcused absences against your child. Afterall there are X number of days they must attend school. I dont know but I'm sure there are some places that are very strict on unexcused absences. Me personally I would have no problem taking a younger child out of school for a few days, just make sure they stay caught up.
