School fines.

[Delonghi88]

So I took my 2 boys to the isle of white during school time now they are treating me with 3 months in prison and a fine of £2500, I also have to go to an interview under caution. My children have over 97% attendance we was only gone for 5 day but they say 10 sessions. And that my children have very poor attendance which is completely untrue. These fines are dished out by social services. My children have never been away ever and suffered so much trauma with their mother they deserve it. I have raised them on my own for the last 7 years had a mental breakdown lost my job and 3 properties gaining custody of them. I will never pay it I will never bend the knee and I will not be blackmailed into giving them money either. Anyone else had this ?

If you want/have to rely on the state to educate your children then you rather have to follow the rules. That is how it works. This is not an important battle and it isn’t worth fighting. Things that matter are the quality of their education and their safety and happiness. Your children probably wish they had never gone on holiday if you are now putting them through this totally unnecessary stress.

Some schools allow authorised
holidays during term time. I worked in one last year, but the lowest attendance in that school was above 97%.
You just need to say you'll home school from now on and then find a new school.

I'm sorry OP (and I'm going to get slammed for this), but your spelling and grammar are atrocious. Isle of 'white' you say? It's Isle of Wight. I think for your children's benefit, they should be in school during term time.
You need to pay the fine/serve the time.

Like most people, I don't agree with school fines but they exist, for everyone whose children are in a state school.

It's not the school that issues the fines so there is no point in being cross at them.

Going to prison over it seems preposterous but if that's what you want to do then of course that's up to you.

I will never bend the knee

This is very dramatic.

So if I paid £60 they would wipe there mouths and forget all about it ?? How does that even work surley you can see that. lol it’s like saying to your kid give me 60 notes and I won’t tell mum you ate that chocolate..either way you look at it it’s blackmail from the council to get money for which they have over spent and we have to make up for it.

Are you unfamiliar with the concept of a fine? You can disagree with the rules but it's not blackmail. Do you also consider a speeding fine to be blackmail?

Well they’re breaking the law. Interesting when ofsted come

Just pay the fine, job done. It's hardly a secret parents get fined for taking kids out in term time. I took mine out in June for a week and paid the fines when they came.

Last year schools could use their discretion, this year the law has changed and they can’t.

I agree 100%.

if the lessons they missed were so critical, a fine wouldn’t make up for it. It’s just another form of tax on people who can’t afford it. They don’t do it as a deterrent, because they know people have no choice but to take their kids away in term time. They do it because they know they will make money. I took my children away for 6 school days and was lucky enough not to get a fine so it’s a perfect example of their system being a bullshit power trip

You've fought long and hard to be the parent the children live with primarily.

So, what's in the children's best interest now?

Poor kids. I can imagine you ranting and raving about "good little people" and "bending the knee" when all they want is some stability finally and probably to be in school for the beginning of the new school year.

It's such an important time for them to settle in and get to know the ropes and make friends. Why not just put them first and write to your MP?

Give the posters on the holidays board your rough location and holiday budget and maybe we can help for next year.

But it's not 60 though as ot.

You're acting like a twat. I believe the phrase is "fuck around and find out "