is it illegal to not send your children to school,even if you can't help it???

Question

I have 4 children, 9,7,4,and 2.
My two little ones were very ill today, and so i wasn't able to take my eldest 2, both to and from school.
I had no one else to do it either,(husband leaves for work in another city at 7 in the morning!) we have only recently moved to this area,away from family and friends.
So the headteacher rings me up and tells me that it is illegal to NOT send the children into school, i should either get a taxi, or ask my husband to rearrange his job schedual!
I was so outraged at the schools lack of understanding!
And also so shocked that i was doing something illegal!
Is this nasty headteacher correct?????

i live in the UK by the way.

LIBRA MY YOUNGEST CHILDREN WERE VOMITTING AND HAD BAD DIOREHA, HOW CAN I TAKE THEM ANYWHERE, CAN YOU IMAGINE THEM VOMITTING ALL OVER THE SCHOOL GROUNDS??? IDIOT

Answer 1

I think the headmistress is talking rubbish. Yes it is a legal requirement for all children to go to school in this country but in a situations such as the one you describe, and for just a few days, I doubt you could conceivably get into any trouble. You could only be taken to court over this if your children were missing large amounts of time off school (ie weeks at a time) and you were deliberately not sending them for no good reason.

Its all very well for the headmistress to tell you to "get a taxi" or make your husband "rearrange his work schedule" but the FACT is that the former can be prohibitively expensive (plus I wouldn't feel safe putting my children in a taxi with a complete stranger driving) and the latter isn't always possible if he's not a manager/supervisor or doesn't work flexi-time. If he's just a lowly drone like my other half, requests for time off to take his kids to school can go down like lead sh*t with his boss!

I think she's a just an ignorant arrogant beeatch who either doesn't have kids or has had so much help herself (and so much money!) that she doesn't understand the problems facing "normal" families. Ignore the silly moo and I hope your little ones are feeling better soon!

Answer 2

The teacher is technically correct, but don't worry- the police won't be coming after you. Schools get money from the state for each child that attends every day, and it sounds like the teacher was more concerned about that than your situation. Every parent goes through stuff like this, and you would think teachers would understand. Still, if all of your kids have to stay home every time one of them is sick, that will add up to a lot of absences. Talk with your husband and see what you can come up with. Maybe another parent can help you out with a ride sometimes, and you can return the favor when needed.

Answer 3

Well, how many days was it? It sounds like it was just one, and if that's the way it does, yeah, that does sound outrageous- it's not like you could help it, and whether you hire a taxi or not should be your own business, and you can't ask your husband to rearrange his schedule just in case your younger two children get sick. That's ridiculous. If it was, like a week, then i could understand it, but one day????

Answer 4

You are familiar with the term, TRUENCY? See wikipedia's helpful entry here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truancy.

Try not to be outraged. Instead use the teacher's call as an opportunity to introduce yourself as new resident. Ask if there are good community services / programs you and your kids might join in an effort to network with other moms. When you know a few parents well, you'll be able to ask for help.

The theory is, if you act like a responsible grown-up, teacher/school admin will be more forthcoming. Try to remember that education has been slashed to little bits for a long time. In fact, public ed in the U.S. is often mistaken for the House pissoir. Teachers are paid on par with entry-level secretaries in most states.

Strange as it may sound, call head teacher back and thank her for her concern that your children were missed! Then explain a bit about your circs as a way of introduction and ASK for ADVICE/help available in your school community, if any. No one can resist such a request!

Answer 5

Yes they can,but when your children are in that condition they will also want to know why you did not take them to the doctor. It is a no win situation,sorry.

Answer 6

If they are always absent then it is illegal not to send them to school if one is always sick you would need to prove medically the reasons why.

Answer 7

Sounds like a misguided teacher. Next time just tell her the schoolage ones are sick too.

Answer 8

well shes right but you couldve just said all ur kidz are sick and skipped this entire situation!

Answer 9

well technically it is but if it was two- three days then i dont know y the teach is freaking

Answer 10

yes she is correct. I agree with her totally. There was nothing stopping you from taking your children to school you were simply being lazy.

How do you think your eldest two felt being kept out of school because mummy couldn't be bothered to get the children ready.

If you are tired and your husband has found a new job and relocated you thus isolating you and he doesn't help with the childcare then sort it out.

wake up in the morning and take your children to school this is your duty as a mother.

It is an offence not to take your children to school for the reason you have stated and im not a teacher but not even i can understand the reasoning behind it. The headteacher is not nasty, she is doing her job and she is doing it quite well as far as i can see.