12 August 2006
'Truancy' Parents imprisoned for 4 months
Well; that will help them take responsibility for their daughter's education.
Their solicitor said:
Ok. So this couple have failed to persuade/co-erce their teenage daughter to go to school. As the grown-up daughter of Patrica Amos, the first person to be imprisoned under this power, commented about her mother - they have not actually committed a criminal offence. Well - it has been made one in law but the point is that most people regard crime as something like robbery (or international arms dealing?), not being a bad parent. Lets assume that school is worthwhile and about education. So; how does imprisoning the parents help the child go to school? Is it about blackmailing children who, like Ms Amos's children, felt bad about their mother going down? I think though really that it is just about a display of power by the government and local authorities who use this leglislation. If you don't play ball; if you defy us, we will imprison you.
It is difficult to see how separating a 14 year old child from her parents for 4 months, (the child has been sent to foster parents for the duration), is going to teach her any lesson other than one about the power of the state. This doesn't seem like 'tackling the causes' at all. But it does say something possibly about what mass education is really about - something unpleasant which people do under duress. For many people this is exactly their experience.
'Truancy' Parents imprisoned for 4 months
Well; that will help them take responsibility for their daughter's education.
Their solicitor said:
Mr and Mrs Haine just don't know how to get her to school. Mr Haine did try to drag her to school before but somebody rang social services and the police.
Quoted from Daily Mail
The couple have been jailed for 4 months under the Education Act (in fact an amendment to the 1996 Act which came into force in 2001 according to the Guardian ). This was 2 months from a previous suspended sentance plus two more.
Quoted from Daily Mail
Ok. So this couple have failed to persuade/co-erce their teenage daughter to go to school. As the grown-up daughter of Patrica Amos, the first person to be imprisoned under this power, commented about her mother - they have not actually committed a criminal offence. Well - it has been made one in law but the point is that most people regard crime as something like robbery (or international arms dealing?), not being a bad parent. Lets assume that school is worthwhile and about education. So; how does imprisoning the parents help the child go to school? Is it about blackmailing children who, like Ms Amos's children, felt bad about their mother going down? I think though really that it is just about a display of power by the government and local authorities who use this leglislation. If you don't play ball; if you defy us, we will imprison you.
It is difficult to see how separating a 14 year old child from her parents for 4 months, (the child has been sent to foster parents for the duration), is going to teach her any lesson other than one about the power of the state. This doesn't seem like 'tackling the causes' at all. But it does say something possibly about what mass education is really about - something unpleasant which people do under duress. For many people this is exactly their experience.