Controversy As School Fines Parents £1,000 for Taking Kids on Family Vacation During Term Time
Richard and Kerry Bowering, from Bristol, have been fined about £1,000 for taking their children, Tori, 10, and Maddison, 7, on holiday to Spain during term time after their grandmother’s death and Kerry’s cancer scare.
According to YahooParenting, the school refused to give permission for the family to go on the trip and fined them £240 (about $340) on their return. After the couple refused to pay, the case went to court and the fine and costs increased to a total of £950 (about $1350).
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Mr Bowering said the holiday was booked as a treat for the two children after a difficult few months at the beginning of last year. He said,
“In January, their gran died of cancer and then at the end of February their mum had a hysterectomy for cervical cancer. They were really badly affected by those things – it was a nightmare time – so we thought we would give them a break and take them on holiday. I asked for a bit of compassion to allow us to do that. I asked the headmistress for permission and she refused. We got back and then we had these fines.”
A spokesman for Bristol City Council said: “The council has a duty to follow the current legislation and national guidelines relating to pupil attendance, as set out in the Department for Education’s guidance. This includes fines which are also set out by central government.”
What do you think?
Na wa o
Wow this really sounds strange
This is a country where the system really works. You can’t let a child miss school for a day without a good reason, let alone going on vacation while the school is still on.
This is crazy!
You don’t just make them miss school for nothing,, they’ve got plenty of holidays ahead,so why the rush..
Me thinks the school is right by saying they shouldn’t miss school but fining them is that huge amount is crazy.
Na wao!
I don’t know how the education system works there but I would have withdrawn my kids rather than pay such amount as fine
Plz can someone explain to me
They deal with laws once you step out of boundary you just have to face it
Yes it serves right
What civilized cum discipline country I love dt.
C good country oooo! Come who will even try dis for Niger.
Their reason is genuin, the school shouldn’t have fine them abeg.
There should be a balance in everything. …let them pay
well they have to pay
Ah ahn!!! What kind of law is that? But the couple should have planned the vacation during school holidays.
This is a sensitive issue I think the school should have allowed
This is called “DISCIPLINE”.
i agree with the school