The mum, who does not want to be named, says she was met by a council employee and teacher at Hamstel Infant School. She said: “Over the past week there has been a council employee quizzing people on why they are late.
“We turned up late and he started telling me people can be fined.
“I’m disgusted. It’s a money making scheme and sometimes I can’t help being late.
“Mornings get quite hectic, I could get up at 4.30am but still be late because right before we leave one of the kids will need the toilet or will need a nappy changed.”Oh, cry me a river! Most people manage to get their kids to school without any issue, and certainly don’t run bawling to the local press if they can’t.
Why should you be different?
“ The council employee was also insulting as I asked if he had ever had to dress and get his kids ready in the morning every day on his own, to which he said yes and also stated they didn’t have tantrums because they were raised properly.”ROFL! Hey, ask a silly question…
Anne Jones, Southend’s councillor for children and learning, said: “The officer will remind parents about the legal implications and legal powers available to the council to ensure regular and punctual school attendance and tackle persistent lateness and absenteeism.
“This can include the issuing a fixed penalty notice. We do not want to be prosecuting parents, and it is always an absolutely last resort to do this. But we also want children to be in school and there comes a time where we have no further options.
“Starting legal action is not a decision we ever take lightly, but it is a decision we will make if it is in the best interests of the child and those parents refuse to work with the school and us to resolve the issues.”
“Fixed penalty notices are rarely issued for lateness alone and would never be issued for one day’s lateness or where a child was late with good reason for example, but they can be issued for persistent lateness once the register is closed.”See..? It’s not that parents are late, it’s that they are repeatedly late and refuse to do anything about it.
In the comments, someone purporting to be the mother in question hops in to attempt to reclaim the moral high ground by saying it was other parents she was concerned for..
“Firstly, I am not continually late, not the whole story, I can understand the policy for continually late parents but it was described to me by the school as £50 per day whenever you were late, which I felt a little over the top as someone who has never been late could face a fine. Secondly I wasn't late the day I went to speak to the council employee, I went after taking my child to class, to ask some questions like, where does the money go and what happens if you don't have it. Which by the way it doesn't go to the school, and should you not be able to pay, goes to debt collection. Thirdly the 4:30am comment was sarcasm, learn to understand it. when I was under the impression it was £50 a day all I way saying is it's a little unfair, people don't purposely do it as you never know what's going to happen last minute, but it would seem you all claim to be as perfect as the council employee not a normal person. lastly to the person who said about social sevices, what a vile thing to say, you think just by this story you can tell how my situation is. I was considering everyones scenario that may make others late. you dare presume that I do not look after my children.”Yes. And I have a bridge to sell you.
Really Joolz, that's what the country needs, a bunch of chippy council jobsworths with an over inflated sense of self importance, equipped with a clipboard and the over use of a clicky ball point pen.
ReplyDeleteI do get your criticism of the "Going to the papers" thing, when what is required is a polite request as to who he actually is, and on what authority he wants to know.
Once ascertained that he is in fact nothing more than some council jobsworth, with no more right or power to ask anything and demand to be answered than any pollster in the street, request that the obsequious toad wind their neck in and lower their patronising tone.
Contrary to what they may believe, they work for us, it is never "Council land", it's our land, you know the rate payers of the town. All the council is, is an entity that is employed by us the rate payers to administer it on our behalf.
I'm with Budvar.
ReplyDelete"Contrary to what they may believe, they work for us, it is never "Council land", it's our land..."
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, but that works better when you aren't in the wrong. Like this dozy mare!