Funny, I've found I've stopped minding about this.
Up till last year, we were being bullied by dd's headteacher, because she has a permanent medical condition which leads to high absent rates. He did everything to make us leave his school, so he could get the nice rewards you get for a high attendance rate. It was horrible and she would frequently come home in tears.
It was exactly the sort of situation described by Janni. He knew perfectly well she was ill, but he would say things like 'yes, we do know she is ill but you can't expect us to be happy about it'. Her class would miss out on treats because they didn't meet the attendance targets thanks to her.
He even sent for social services and tried to present us as a problem family. I remember dd sobbing into her pillow that 'if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have to go through all this'.
Her life was being made a misery over this wretched attendance, because the headteacher thought the way the school was judged was more important than actually being supportive to its pupils.
Then the headteacher left, dd still has the same condition (and always will), but she is not being bullied about- so I don't really care any more. Even dd sits through the weekly attendance assemblies with an indifferent smile. And when ds brought home his first certificate, I just shrugged.
But I have seen how this system works when it is at its worst.