Surely they should just get her to pay the fine?

[FrustatedAgain]

This woman didn't pay her term time holiday fine, she says they only received one penalty notice. Surely if she is willing to pay the fine the council should just let her. Surely taking her to court is going to cost the council time and money?
Mother, 33, facing court after taking her son, six, on 'holiday of a lifetime' to Cyprus during term time insists it was 'educational in a way that school can't offer' | Daily Mail Online

Ridiculous that she is taken to court over this non issue. She is also ridiculous to say that taking her kids to the zoo in Cyprus holds some amazing educational value. It's just a holiday, own it up.

if missing school is detrimental to the child then surely a parent in court / prison is also detrimental to the child. Not to mention a waste of money / resources and time that could be better spent dealing with actual problems.

I don't know any parent who isn't aware of the 'fine per parent' rule. She knew the school had not approved the absence. She booked the holiday before even consulting them.

Suppose every parent in the class takes their child out in different weeks, how are the teachers supposed to cope? People grumble about the quality of education, but then treat it like an optional extra.

I have no sympathy at all.

Parents should know the fine is per parent it's been that way for years. And she should have followed it up not just assume it was dealt with.
I also wonder why they bothered to ask permission from the school if they were going to ignore what they said.
Waste of money? Yes absolutely. Feel sorry for her? No

People should know without being told because I'd know without being told is a terrible way to look at this. A system that assumes a letter sent unregistered through a postal system that can't be remotely relied on is a very unfair one. Pure self interest alone should mean people understand that, even if they happen to approve of the fining system.

A holiday abroad aged 6 is not going to significantly impact educational outcomes.

I totally agree, but MN has a line in militantly law-abiding school prefect types who wholeheartedly disagree, because the (quick, doff yer caps) Council has told them so.

Council: Do not take your children out of school, even for a family wedding abroad, because missing even a single day of school is DETRIMENTAL.

Also council: Didn’t get our unrecorded letter through the post? Tough. Too late. We’re now going to take you to court, take thousands of pounds of your family money and endeavour to put a parent in prison, because that’s NOT DETRIMENTAL to the child, that’s correct.

Got it in one 😂

Did you miss the bit in the article where the mother is claiming that messing in the pool and a visit to the zoo provides an amazing educational opportunity? She obviously believes it will significantly impact educational outcomes...

6 days of the holiday were sanctioned, presumably for the wedding.

Fair enough. I suppose the child might go on to do a four year degree in Recreational Studies.

It turns out councils do not give a shit about your child missing school if they have special needs and it’s going to cost the council money. All the hysterical rhetoric about missing one day of school has been quietly forgotten about for Sen kids up and down the country. Otherwise it would cost money.