Petition No prosecution for parents that remove child from school during a pandemic.

[herecomesthsun]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300399

This has over 92,000 signatures. There has been a response in April, however at 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Prosecution was of course not applicable during lockdown.

If you feel "not more about schools", or you don't agree, then of course you wouldn't need to sign up. I think however it would be a very good thing to have a parliamentary debate about this, the number of threads would suggest a lot of general interest!

But there are currently no options for the medically vulnerable other than a full return to school. That could certainly be an option, to tie the option of a fixed term deregistration, for example, to a particular clinical situation, and the government have now got some sort of structure in place to do that.

I think that personal preference and what is right for the child's situation would key for this.

That's not what this petition is though, it's saying anyone should be able to, which I disagree with. If someone starts one for the clinically vulnerable that sounds great.

I agree with a comment on another thread that keeping the discussion going is key right now

@Choochoose

Which is why I said if the school has faith in the parent’s ability to homeschool

Which is why I said if the school has faith in the parent’s ability to homeschool

Ah so it's still the schools responsibility to make that decision, and presumably it will largely be based on a family affording to have someone at home full time, and having the neccessary equipment; plus the school making a guess at the academic capability of the person. So basically it will disregard the wishes of many potentially anyway, that is problematic.

Btw I can absolutely see why people feel this way, and a petition so it's debates- great. I take umbrridge to the comments saying it doesn't affect anyone else so people should mind their own business, as that isn't true.

Would parents who choose to keep their children at home expect teachers to set and mark work and assess their dc’s progress?

People can't take their kids in and out willy nilly. It puts some children at risk

I also don't see why someone should be able to keep a school place if another child needs it and there is no medical reason for the first child to be off.

@Pootles34 I agree with Orphelia on this actually - why can't people deregister? Seems like you already have a perfectly reasonable solution? so you think a child should lose their school place because their parents consultant has told them not to send their children to school as there is a high risk of ICU/death.
Really you genuinely think that’s reasonable and fair? Don’t you think that such children have been affected enough with having to shield for over four months? You also want them to lose their school place, rather than stay at home with their parents teaching them for several weeks/months.
I can see why the Tories won, when this is the attitude towards those who are sick/disabled.

@Underhisi and there is no medical reason for the first child to be off. but there will be a medical reason parents are not wanting to keep their dc off school for cheap term time holidays!

Would parents who choose to keep their children at home expect teachers to set and mark work and assess their dc’s progress? if it’s the child who is at risk yes, they have a legal obligation, if like our family it’s a parent then no.

Medical reason meaning shielding child or household member. People keep their kids off for all sorts of reasons. Who is going to be responsible for safeguarding the children that are sort of out of school?

Signed: thanks for the link

@Choochoose

Btw I can absolutely see why people feel this way, and a petition so it's debates- great. I take umbrridge to the comments saying it doesn't affect anyone else so people should mind their own business, as that isn't true.

well, if people don't like there being threads on this subject (or parliamentary petitions), then it is their choice whether to engage, n'est-ce pas?

I am not currently wanting to do anything other with people who disagree with me other than be polite;

I am very thankful that mumsnet allows us the space to talk about this stuff.

I do not agree with a blanket optional choice to send children to school or not, never have never will. Sadly not everyone is not sending their children back to school for the right reasons.
I would fully support some children being kept home if they meet strict criteria and guidelines (ie extremely clinically vulnerable) and parents prove in some way that they can support the home learning. Not sure how practical that is but it would mean that the right people are getting the support and the limited resources schools have are directed in the correct places.

Medical reason meaning shielding child or household member. @Underhisi yes- and there is no exemption for such children!

So what if 50% of the class are absent... until... whenever ? Should a child be able to reserve a place in year 7 and then pop up again in yr 11 in order to take public exams ?

We may never have a vaccine. And what about other diseases which may impact on a vulnerable household member? It's not Covid or bust, you know. Why wasn't OP thinking of removing her dd last year when a bout of flu could easily take down someone with health issues (I know about that! I actually was on the point of death last year after picking up a flu virus (and I'd had the flu jab, so that's no magic bullet).

As I have pointed out on other threads - and been reported for it!! - the OP has a particular axe to grind because her dd has a grammar school place which I would assume 100 other families would be eager to take. But the OP is starting a petition now - to reserve this place.

@Choochoose

I still haven’t decided one way or the other but the way people dictate to others that they must deregister when this has no bearing on their life whatsoever is quite frankly disappointing.

But it does. For someone who remains registered but misses chunks of school, it does affect teachers, and also their classmates when attention and time is diverted to playing catch up with some. If someone deregisters and then reregisters, there isn't the risk of them just dipping in and out as they please, and quite frankly the school doesn't have responsibility for them during that time.

This year is going to be total chaos anyway, a child being out by choice instead of every time they get a cough is a drop in the ocean.

A lot of people are quite deluded about the possible year ahead.

Plus, I think, focus on your own child and MYOB about other people is a good motto for all normal parenting choices.

This year is going to be total chaos anyway

That’s not justification for allowing more chaos, it’s the opposite.

Teachers will have a very tough job as it is, with wildly differing levels in the classroom. There may be additional closures/absences that can’t be helped.

Having parents send in and out willy nilly when it suits them, on top of all this, just isn’t fair to the school or the kids. You’re either out or in.

Having said that, I think parents should have the option for deregistering for a year while keeping their place. If they are serious about homeschooling and going it alone.

Plus, I think, focus on your own child and MYOB about other people is a good motto for all normal parenting choices.

Not in a post Covid era when everyone’s choices impact everyone else. Sorry.

erm so no

I didnt start the petition

I am actually a lot more worried about health concerns than a particular school place

please could you stop making personal comments and focus on general actual issue

and also I would suggest in discussion that a limited timeframe would be reasonable (maybe 2 or3 months rather than 5 years)

but thanks for joining in the discussion

Plus, I think, focus on your own child and MYOB about other people is a good motto for all normal parenting choices.

That's fine, unless you're a teacher so you will have to deal with it. That's the whole point of bothering to reply really, I agree that discussion is important, but the shut down of mind your own business, or throwing out random ideas that are unworkable is not really an argument or statement based in reality.

Thanks for sharing, I really hope that it reaches the level for debate in parliament so that people’s mind can be but at rest and so that the communication between home and school remains open and honest.

I completely agree with both of you. We need to work together to find the best solution that will encompass individual needs, and I think we can do that. But it probably would look different to the current government plan.

Thanks OP for posting this, because if there is a second wave and schools stay open during it and fine people, there will be many parents who will benefit from this.

For those screaming to de-register, home education is not a punishment for those who don't fit your criteria of what concerned parents should do, home ed is a valid system in itself and requires much thought and consideration.

"and also I would suggest in discussion that a limited timeframe would be reasonable (maybe 2 or3 months rather than 5 years)"

What is going to be different in 2 or 3 months? People were saying that in June.