GMB viewers called for school truancy fines to be scrapped today amid the cost of living crisis and concerns about holidays.
According to reports, the Ministry of Justice has revealed around 1,700 parents a month face fines by schools and local councils regarding truancy. Furthermore, as explained on GMB today (Tuesday May 16), reports claim the number of parents given fines for failing to send their children to school has quadrupled to more than 200,000.
Despite these statistics, some viewers of the ITV show reacted on Twitter by branding fines for truancy a “joke”. However, many of those who indicated they felt fines should be scrapped seemed to prioritise their family holidays in the matter.
GMB today
Blogger Vicki Broadbent and teacher Bobby Seagull joined hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid for a Good Morning Britain discussion on the truancy crackdown.
Ms Broadbent argued truancy fees “feels very draconian”, while Mr Seagull said he wants to help “protect the education system”. But over on social media, many GMB fans shared their experiences of fines – and unsurprisingly, they didn’t agree with fines.
The number of parents being charged for failing to send children to school has doubled in less than a year.
But with the cost of living crisis, should fines be scrapped for parents taking their children out of school?
Are you facing fines? We want to hear from you. pic.twitter.com/pdCCSghMyj
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 16, 2023
How GMB viewers reacted
“School fines are a joke,” one Twitter user fumed. “You should be able to take your kids out once per school year to avoid extortionate costs from holiday companies. Travel is also important for children. Parents are in a lose-lose position and it isn’t right. We deserve to enjoy a break with our kids.”
Another person also reckoned parents should receive ‘credit’ to allow them to take children out of school during term time.
“Think as long your attendance is above 90/95% you should be allowed to take 10 days out of school without a fine,” they said.
A third noted how they felt they became better off, even after a fine. They tweeted: ‘We were fined recently for taking our daughter on holiday during term time. Even with the fine, the term time cost of the holiday was £1500 cheaper than if we had booked in half term.”
Inappropriate?
Meanwhile, another Twitter user suggested kids can “catch up” instead. “My late husband couldn’t always take leave during the school holidays due to his work,” they said. “Family holidays are as important as two weeks schooling. Making happy memories is precious, you can catch up learning.”
And someone with decades of teaching experience reflected. They said: “Fines are inappropriate.” They claimed: “Everybody knows the value of family holidays.”
Someone else wrote: “Fines shouldn’t exist anyway.”
‘Don’t do it then’
However, someone else reasoned: “If you’re taking your child out of school for a holiday then it would be fair to say that you’re not being badly affected by the cost of living crisis and also would be able to afford the fine that goes with it.”
If you’re taking your child out of school for a holiday then it would be fair to say that you’re not being badly affected by the cost of living crisis.
And someone else indicated they felt going on holiday shouldn’t take precedent over a child’s education and doesn’t excuse parents picking and choosing when the law applies to them. They summed it up: “So don’t do it then. No fine.”
Another added: “The truancy fines should be suspended due to the cost of living crisis but if you can afford a holiday abroad then you can afford the fine.”
Read more: Martin Lewis apologises for Good Morning Britain ‘slip-up’
GMB airs weekdays on ITV from 6am.
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