Family holiday ends with threat of prison

A lot of you would have seen the disturbing case last week of the Midlands couple that now face a 3 month prison sentence for taking their children out of school for an affordable holiday.

With the law, local and national governments deciding it was time to prosecute their prosecution script included the quote ‘Significant absence from school is disruptive to the child’s education and has a detrimental impact on attainment.’

WOW. So now these 3 happy children have the prospect of studying at school under the care of a strange and alien Foster family for 3 months. What will the impact of their education then?

I for 1 know how a child’s’ day to day routine, concentration and studying can be negatively impacted when there is something on their mind or something not quite right with their normal day to day living.

To me the punishment is completely contradictory to alleged crime and will have in the short term and long term a massive bad impact on the childrens education.  Can you imagine what their opinion of the local and national governments will be not just for now but in their adult lives too.

All because their parents treated them to a 7 night holiday!!!

There is a get out clause though. Pay a £2000 fine. Great, this should fund some of those dodgy and criminal expense claims the same law writers and enforcers make, some of which are for holidays!!!! Ironic.

I’m not making this a political argument, I am looking at it from a parent and from the travel industry point of view. If it was to be political then I would say all the non-English speaking children in our schools are having a worst effect on every childs education.

Perhaps the industry needs to be looked into again. If the banks are getting done for fixing rates between them, energy companies under investigation for their over inflated prices then perhaps travel operators need to have their pricing structure and differences from 1 month to the next looked into.

What do you think?

A can of worms I reckon.