Fines for parents taking their children out of school for holidays is just a cash cow - Yorkshire Post Letters

In response to your front page article on days taken off school by children I too believe that there is no flexibility in the educational system.

My daughter and son-in-law have to take our granddaughters out of school because their father, who works in a 24-hour round-the-clock industry, is told by his employer when he can have his two weeks annual holidays, just exactly the same as school teachers are told when they can have their holidays.

This year because he had to take his holiday in school term time, both parents were fined £60 each for both girls for two weeks' absence.

So an eye watering £480 fine was levelled at them but because my daughter pointed out that two of those days were when teachers were on strike, the relevant sum was deducted.

So it seems fine for teachers to deprive children of an education but not a caring parent who wants to enjoy a happy holistic holiday with their children.

If every single day of education is so vital to a child why are all schools closed on a election polling day when only a very small percentage are actually used for this purpose and we all know what happens when there is a slight dusting of snow on the ground, schools shut, yet the whole of the rest of the country get on with it.

I am of the opinion that the fines for ‘unauthorised absences’ is a cash cow. Where does this money go?