Earlier quoted context omitted.
In my area, you get 10 days of unexcused absence per year before parents and kids start receiving fines and possibly a referral to CPS. That number is way too small IMO, and it forces folks to go to the doctor constantly for getting small illnesses excused (school policies are 24 hours without a fever, but they don't take temperatures, it's honor based...), since you want to keep those 10 days for an actual vacation.
Why would you take your kids on a vacation during school? There are plenty of breaks during the year including all of summer.
I remember when I was younger, people with international family often would take 3-4 week trips to visit. That was because it was so expensive and painful to go, and there were so many people to visit when you went, and infrastructure there wasn't great at "popping over" for day visits to each of these places. Plus, it was often a once in two-four year visit to see an entire side (or all) of your family. So these kids would just pop out of school for this extended period. Longest I remember was almost 2 months. Usually the parents worked out a deal with the school and brought a bunch of work to be done on the trip, with an exam or makeups when they returned. I was one of these kids, and it sucked. But it was possible with the right support structure. I think when people abscond with no thought to the continued education, that's a huge problem.