School Fines - Discrimination Against The Family Unit

[Chekhov 488]

19 minutes ago, cressida said:

Perhaps schools should ask parents to sign to up their regulations beforehand.

Bearing in mind kids have to go to school by law, most kids have to go to the nearest school (for practical reasons as much as anything) and most parents cannot home school, I don't see what that would achieve. It certainly would not make me any happier about being fined.

On the subject of which.... As far as I am aware anyone can legally home school their kids, and then they can take them on as many holidays as they want. How is that consistent ?

 

It's all cobblers anyway, I doubt very much being fined makes much difference to whether parents take their kids out (even less so after they shut the schools for 7 months), it just causes ill feeling towards the school and the education authorities generally.

[Mister M 1,632]

28 minutes ago, Chekhov said:

Surely it is obvious that kids who are behind need more work ? And conversely kids who are out in front would not be so affected by missing one week of schooling. Not that I agree with fining any parent for taking their child out of school for an average of one week a year

Perhaps it's the practicalities. Schools nowadays are really struggling for resources and time. If a set amount of children miss school in a term, then the teacher or teaching assistant has to spend more time helping that child catch up. That's time the teacher could be better used for preparing lessons, or marking or whatever else they do.

Plus the fact if lets say 2 children out of each class in a school are out of lesson due to holidays; that sends a message out to the other children and parents that the school is lax about attendance.

 

[Mister M 1,632]

35 minutes ago, hackey lad said:

Urgh  .

Yes that was my thought at being in bed with Michael Gove 

[El Cid 221]

14 minutes ago, Mister M said:

Perhaps it's the practicalities. Schools nowadays are really struggling for resources and time. If a set amount of children miss school in a term, then the teacher or teaching assistant has to spend more time helping that child catch up. That's time the teacher could be better used for preparing lessons, or marking or whatever else they do.

Plus the fact if lets say 2 children out of each class in a school are out of lesson due to holidays; that sends a message out to the other children and parents that the school is lax about attendance.

 

If there is a desire to learn, they can learn online, as they did during lockdown. You obviously dont have children at school, they run after school clubs and before school clubs, they take them on reward trips during school time.

[Prettytom 1,648]

1 hour ago, Mister M said:

Perhaps it's the practicalities. Schools nowadays are really struggling for resources and time. If a set amount of children miss school in a term, then the teacher or teaching assistant has to spend more time helping that child catch up. That's time the teacher could be better used for preparing lessons, or marking or whatever else they do.

Plus the fact if lets say 2 children out of each class in a school are out of lesson due to holidays; that sends a message out to the other children and parents that the school is lax about attendance.

 

There is no way that a school should be helping kids to catch up, if the parents have taken them on holiday in term time.

 

That’s the parents’ responsibility, at their own expense.

[pfifes 309]

I remember at school back in the 80s kids were occasionally taken out of school for a family holiday in term time.  It was only very occasional though and think usually for ‘special’ holidays, not a regular family holiday. I think back then, there was less expectation to have an annual holiday abroad and possibly less price hiking during school holidays? 
The problem is, even if sympathetic to parents unable to afford a holiday out of term time, if schools allow this it would be very disruptive so on balance I believe the fines are justified.  If there were no fines, I think too many parents would do this on a regular basis causing disruption to the schools and children’s education.

 

 However, the tactics from this school are ridiculous and definitely a step too far https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13164063/amp/Secondary-school-snooping-staff-visit-pupils-homes.html

[El Cid 221]

6 hours ago, Prettytom said:

There is no way that a school should be helping kids to catch up, if the parents have taken them on holiday in term time.

 

That’s the parents’ responsibility, at their own expense.

So when the children get bad grades the teacher just blames the parents for taking them on holiday?

Teachers are much more dedicated and flexible, they allow the child to catch up via homework, education is free.

[Prettytom 1,648]

1 hour ago, El Cid said:

So when the children get bad grades the teacher just blames the parents for taking them on holiday?

Teachers are much more dedicated and flexible, they allow the child to catch up via homework, education is free.

I was thinking of doing things more formally. If a parent takes a kid away for a week without authorisation, then the school should have the ability to officially reduce the student’s target grades by half a grade. 
 

That way, the school and the teachers in the school, don’t get penalised for the decision of the parent. The parent can then make their own arrangements to repair the damage caused  by their actions

[Chekhov 488]

13 hours ago, peak4 said:

As well as experiencing foreign cultures,  a useful learning experience might be regarding sanctions for disobeying the law.
Most of us don't get to choose which legislation to obey, so an illustration of what happens when we decide to ignore a rule might be helpful too.

Would your missive about always "obeying all laws" apply to Rosa Parks ?

Or Nelson Mandela for that matter ?

How about all the Jews in late 1930s Germany having to wear the yellow star ?

Or does it only apply to rules / laws you agree with ?

[Chekhov 488]

11 hours ago, Mister M said:

Plus the fact if lets say 2 children out of each class in a school are out of lesson due to holidays; that sends a message out to the other children and parents that the school is lax about attendance.

Nobody is suggesting that parents should be allowed to keep their kids off school for as long as they want (though "home schoolers" can.....), but there are hardly any parents who think they should not be allowed to take there kids out for a week or so a year. After all, kids from Public schools can anyway.

I think you are missing the point anyway, the fines make no significant difference, they just cause ill feeling.

We talk to parents from other countries and they are amazed when we tell them we will get fined for taking our lad out of school for one week. it is authoritarianism at its worst, and all the more shocking as it was introduced by a Tory, Michael Gove. He is an arch hypocrite actually because I am pretty sure he can afford to take his kids on holiday no matter how much it costs, plus he was all in favour of closing the schools during Covid......

[Chekhov 488]

9 hours ago, Prettytom said:

There is no way that a school should be helping kids to catch up, if the parents have taken them on holiday in term time.

That’s the parents’ responsibility, at their own expense.

I wonder if PT has kids ?

Or the two others how agreed with this fining nonsense : @Beechwood_S6 or @butlers ?

[Beechwood_S6 101]

1 minute ago, Chekhov said:

I wonder if PT has kids ?

Or the two others how agreed with this fining nonsense : @Beechwood_S6 or @butlers ?