Should parents be fined if children don’t attend school?

There has been a lot in the press recently about parents being fined for their children’s absences.

There is now another extreme case being reported on in the news of a woman who has been fined a total of £804 for letting her child miss 33 lessons at his primary school between the months of April and July.

The report states that the woman, who was sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates Court today, was fined £440 and ordered to pay the council’s costs of £320 as well as a victim surcharge of £44. 

There’s no denying that so many unauthorised absences in such a short period of time is unacceptable, however, many parents are arguing that fines are not the correct form of punishment.

The argument against fines for parents taking their children away on holiday during term time seems to be intensifying this week as Wales announce that families will no longer face the fines there.

The Welsh Education Minister has instead ruled that headmasters do have the right to authorise holidays for students meaning they won’t automatically be faced with a hefty fine.

The law in England that states ‘leave can only be granted in exceptional circumstances’ still remains which is forever causing up raw amongst parents who are forced to shell out extortionate amounts of money on flights in the school holidays.

The campaign group ‘parents want a say’ are viewing the case in Wales as a victory and are hoping to use it in their favour in an appeal to Westminster.

[interaction id=”5698c80c6f21c9dc057b43d4″]