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Truancy - Listeners' Emails
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In all the media there has
been the blanket statement that 'all children should be in school': however
this is not true of children educated at home (estimated by some to be
50,000 children in the UK). A number of children whose families are members
of 成人快手 Service (a support and advice organization for Christian home
educators) have recently been stopped and questioned by police and Education
Welfare Officers: an intimidating and unnerving experience for the children
and the parents!
We recognize that the police and education authorities are carrying out
their duties, and support them in that, but we would like to correct this
misconception that seems to be widely held by police, education authorities,
and the public at large. Not all children at large during the day are
truanting, and the authorities and the media should be aware of this.
Mike Matthews
on behalf of 成人快手 Service
It was so refreshing to hear your interviewer struggling with the "truants' mum" today...talk about kicking at an open door!... "yes, I was wrong"... "prison did me good"...etc... The stunned silence from the interviewer!
When can we expect similar reactions from, say:
Tony Blair... "well, I know I'm not much good at this... but its quite well-paid... and I get in the papers... and we like Tuscany"
Gordon Brown. "YES...I admit I could never count. My wife wont let me do the bills at home...I always get them wrong"
The list is endless.
Or maybe "Dead Ringers" will get there first??
Victor Callen
Following the jailing of Patricia Amos due to the truanting of her daughters, many people have expressed support for her family and condemnation of her sentence. Parents should not feel intimidated by the bullying tactics of our government. Many children of all ages are happily and successfully educated out of school in Britain.
The government is spending £88 million on anti-truanting measures (Guardian 14th May 2002). This money would be better spent publicising the range of legal options available to families such as home education/home tutors/flexi schooling. Surely it would be more effective to provide support rather than punishment for families like Patricia Amos and her daughters?
We would like to make it clear that it is legal and simple to withdraw your children from school in order to educate them from home. We wonder if Patricia Amos was ever informed of this option by her LEA? Go to www.education-otherwise.org or www.choiceineducation.org.uk for more information.
Leslie Safran & over 300 signitories
Return to feature
Do you believe that the government did the right thing? Click here to have your say or discuss the matter with other Today listeners on our .
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"Not all children at large during the day are truanting"
"Parents should not feel intimidated by the bullying tactics of our government"
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