Out Of School

[tomlinson 879]

There was an interesting discussion on the radio the other day about the fining of parents for taking their children out of school for a family holiday. The education side said that the education of a child would suffer very much if a week, or a couple of days, were to be lost and there would be an adverse effect on the child's classmates. I couldn't help thinking it would be good if teachers were to have the same consideration about their charges in cases of strike, inset days, or the closure of a

school due to 'adverse' weather conditions. Has any contributor experienced such action against them?

[catfan 14,793]

Some parents take the kids out of school for an expensive holiday like a status thing, Just the same as turning up at school in a brand new 4x4 when they only live around the corner !

[OrphanAnnie 296]

Not experienced any action, but I when I was at junior school pupils often went off on holidays - we even had a board for postcards!! I agree with what you say, it needs to work both ways. And are schools still closed to act as polling stations?

[The Engineer 614]

How about allowing each child to have up to three weeks off per year during term time. They would then have to make up the time by attending instead during the next 'normal school holiday' at Easter, summer, Christmas or one of the half-term break (i.e. not too long after their absence). Teachers' holidays would be reduced to four weeks in summer plus a week at Easter and a week at Christmas (six weeks is not unreasonable these days and many jobs have holiday dates fixed by the employer).

Example: Two weeks taken in March - attend instead one week at Easter and one week in May half-term.

Example: Two weeks taken in June - attend instead two weeks in August.

Example: Two weeks taken in October - Attend instead one week at half-term and one week at Christmas.

Obvious caveats around disruption to exams but that's just detail.

[catfan 14,793]

When I worked on the buses you were allocated holidays on a rota basis. If you couldn't get a swap then you had to take them.

It was no fun spending a week in a caravan at Ingoldmells in April !

[tomlinson 879]

No doubt many will remember a time when pits and firms took block holidays to give time for maintenance. No choice then.

[crankypig 457]

I worked in a clothing factory ,it used to close down last week in July ,first week in August ,you had your holidays then same as everyone else who worked there.

[OrphanAnnie 296]

We had no choice either when I worked for the Post Office. If you wanted a particular week that was allocated to someone else, you could swap by both putting in a request to the Head Postmaster. We had one week in winter and two in summer, and January 1st wasn't a Bank Holiday so we were open as usual.

[Guest]

Over here it's a right scam..13 weeks summer school holiday.. teacher gets 13 weeks holiday pay..then they book into marking centres and correct exams at 21euro an hour..

[banjo48 928]

Wish they'd fine the parents here in Oz for taking the little buggers out of school ! latest thing is to take a gap year or two so they can see the country camping with mum and dad, and mummy becomes their "home school teacher" Yer right.

All it does is turn out more little obnoxious brats with no respect for anyone or anything.

[EileenH 496]

They can 'home school' here as well. Apparently in law you have to 'educate' your child - not necessarily in a school.

I`ve met several families who`ve done this, at least for a time.

[catfan 14,793]

I personally know of one lad who was "home taught"!. don't make me laugh it was just an excuse for him to lie in bed all day & play on his xbox all night.

He turned out to be a right piece of garbage, at twenty two years of age he has never ever done a days work. He is that bone idle he is kept by his mum. He can't be arsed to sign on.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Pretty common here stateside, most home school kids do far better than public school kids do. I was reading last year of a single parent father, widower who took a spell from his career to teach his kids at home, all are respected, all hold doctorates in various disciplines. So they turned out alright. It appears the best educated at universities are youngsters who went to private schools and the home schooled students.

Many from the public school system need remedial lessons in their first year at uni.

Several states have problems with kids graduating from High Schools without basic skills of reading and writing!!

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

One thing I would like to say is

That when I go on holiday I don't want a load of noisy, & generally unruly brats ruining the peace & quiet.

[parmitage 127]

I remember in days gone by that as a Postie and therefore an employee of HM The Queen we were allowed a day off for the Queen's Birthday and it could be taken at anytime. You could go into the supervisor and say "Next Saturday I am taking the Queen's Birthday" and it was given but of course it lead to problems so the day was incorporated into your holiday entitlement. But like what has been said when you wanted to book your holidays you had to wait your turn and could only take what was left.

This school closure "due to adverse weather" this never used to happed and staff and pupils alike would struggle in