Blunkett attacks pupil fines plan?

Question

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20071110/tuk-blunkett-attacks-pupil-fines-plan-6323e80_2.html

Former Education Secretary David Blunkett has ridiculed proposals to fine teenagers who fail to stay in education or training until the age of 18.
A new Education and Skills Bill, confirmed in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday, will require children to stay in education until the age of 18.
Teenagers who refuse to stay on face spot fines of £50 or court fines of £200. Parents could also be fined.
"I'm against the idea... that deeply damaged young men and women could somehow be fined and it would make them go into education or training. I think it's cloud-cuckoo land," Mr Blunkett told BBC Radio 4's Any Questions.
Mr Blunkett, who was education secretary from 1997 to 2001, said he agreed that education or training should continue to the age of 18 but said fines for those who do not comply would be misguided.

do you like this idea???

Answer 1

How stupid is this government, money money, money, what happens if the students can't pay, court, get ordered by the magistrate to pay, student can't pay, student goes to court again, what then prison for not complying with a court order just like people who don't pay their TV licence?

Answer 2

Well its so easy to focus on what once again seems to be a failure of our education system.The trouble seems to be,or at least in our local schools,is they cant move forward fast enough due to the large increase in overseas pupils and the lack of teachers to multi language.However there is always going to be a need for waiters,and shelf stackers,in which case are they just throwing good money after bad,or is the job market so overloaded this is a short term solution to a long term problem

Answer 3

I don't think it would work, my son was not very academic and left at 16 he got a job and now he earns great money driving all plant machinery, my daughter went to college then onto uni got her degree and also has a very good well paid job. I had my children doing Saturday jobs and then part time work so they are not workshy unfortunately some parents don't do that and the children don't want to work so what would happen then, they would go onto benefits and a fine would not be enforced and as far as some parents go they themselves don't work so they couldn't pay either. It won't work.

Answer 4

I am on a precarious tightrope on this one. On the face of it it seems to me to be a good idea to make youngsters stay in education until 18. But then two things must come in to it:

(1) what would they be doing at school ? Would they continue with further academic studies or be introduced to a trade ?

(2) people have to be motivated to want to participate in these things. Not force them to agree to them... so fines would be a pretty stupid idea.

Answer 5

of course it is a crazy idea

it is ridiculous to expect kids to stay at school until 18 - fine for those who want to but loads stay at school when they really aren't up to A levels at the moment

kids will not go if they don't want to (just as they don't go now)

will having a couple of kids at home be enough of a 'job' to keep the thousands of teen mums out of school?

Answer 6

Probably be better to award pupils in some way who do stay on until they are 18 rather fine those who don't.

Answer 7

How ridiculous, Where are these unemployed teenagers supposed to get the money to pay the fines.
And are they going to prison if they don't pay - what prison?
they are all full.
We can't find places for rapists and paedophiles never mind teenagers who don't want to go to school.
Back to the drawing board methinks!!

Answer 8

I agree with Michael W

Answer 9

Like Gerry say's "It's ludicrous"