Paula Bedford’s daughter Belle, 13, was home from Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) for seven days over two weeks in December.
Ms Bedford said she was shocked when a £60 fixed penalty notice from Brighton and Hove City Council’s enforcement office arrived in the post.
Why?
Ms Bedford said Belle had very good grades and had never missed school for holidays or playing truant, but she was told she would have to provide evidence that she had been sick - such as a doctor’s certificate or prescription - to avoid the fine.
And what's so odd about that? If I'm absent from work, I need proof too.
She said: “It shouldn’t be the same punishment for playing truant or going on holiday as it is for being ill.”
It isn't a 'punishment' at all. If you'd provided the proof, you wouldn't have got the fine. Why didn't you?
“On the days she was ill I reported her sick - and they could have told me then that I’d need proof. I would have insisted she went to the doctor, but I didn’t think it was necessary.”
So she's too sick to go to school, but
not sick enough to go to the doctor..?
“It turns out they expect everyone to have read the fine print of the Education Act. I have gone from shock to anger over this.
“I don’t expect most parents realise they need proof to show their child is ill.
“I feel it is a sad situation and abuse of power and human rights to treat people like this as if they have committed a crime.”
Where the hell do h
uman rights come into this?!
11 comments:
There is a variety of complaints for which a visit to the doctor achieves slightly less than fuck all, other to spread the germs in the waiting room, cause discomfort of the sufferer, and get a lecture about wasting the doctor's time. Colds are perhaps the simplest example.
Most employers allow self-certification for short sickness absences, since most sensible employers realise the truth of the above.
Add to that the kid might be (a) menstruating, and (b) bullied, and you also have additional justification for taking her out of school.
Just go and scratch the head's car to get revenge.
Possibly the school has reason in this case to think she's playing truant, because asking for a doctor's note for a sick kid is not normally done and is over the top. (And personally I don't want parents bringing in sick kids to school who are going to infect my children.)
Not everyone runs off to the doctor for the slightest thing. There might be a few reasons for that, first try and get an appointment, second is it worth it if you are going to be told to take a couple of aspirin. A bit of common sense with minor childhood aliments generally mean a trip to the doctor isn't necessary.
In fact I have to agree with this mother and hope she wins out against the petty officialdom.
"If I'm absent from work, I need proof too."
Self certification was introduced about 40 years ago. If you're off work for 7 days or fewer you don't need a sick note.
Human rights come into it because to treat someone as a criminal without due process is wrong ....
Children get sick all the time. A lot of the time they don't need to see a doctor, they just need a few days rest. By demanding proof that a child is sick just adds a burden on doctors not to mention spreading germs around a surgery. It gets to the point where parents are too scared to keep their sick children off school. It should be if a child is off school for more than seven days then a parent should take them to the doctor but they should not be fined for seven days absence. Too heavy handed for my liking.
A crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority.
Therefore, if the law requires that you do something but you do not do it, you have committed a crime.
She should have said the doctors appointment has been requested, and is expected next term or so. Then another absence will be needed to attend it.
I'm a bit conflicted on this one. Normally I would say rules are rules, most of my school days were time that should have been spent doing something more interesting.
If you have a migraine there is no need to go the GP - although for 7 days sickness, I am surprised that she didn't go.
"Most employers allow self-certification for short sickness absences, since most sensible employers realise the truth of the above."
But use it too often, and...
"Possibly the school has reason in this case to think she's playing truant..."
I suspect so. We only hear the one side in these stories, inevitably.
"She should have said the doctors appointment has been requested, and is expected next term or so. "
Heh! I doubt she's a 'think on her feet' type.
"I'm a bit conflicted on this one. Normally I would say rules are rules, most of my school days were time that should have been spent doing something more interesting."
It does seem to have divided the audience...
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