Truancy is often an underestimated, or at least a misjudged, youth-specific phenomenon. It is neither recognized as a problem nor openly discussed in schools or educational administrations, and parents also seem to largely accept it as legitimate behavior. The authors analyze which factors related to personality, school, family, and social circles determine school absenteeism in Switzerland and make an important contribution to a professional discussion of the phenomenon in education policy, schools, and society.