Lazy mothers and fathers who do not pick up their children from school on time deserve fines
ONE school plans to penalize mums and dads who arrive late.
Alice McIntyre wonders whether parents should be fined if they don't pick their children out on time.
YES, says security manager LOUISE COLE PARKER
Louise, 49, a single mother of three from Higham Ferrers, Northants, said: “If children get stuck at school because their parents are late then of course the parents should be fined.
“They just need to be better organized.
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“Fines are a good idea. Parents should also be fined if their children are late in the morning. When my teenagers – Michael, 16, Christian, 14, and Heather, 13, were in primary school, I dropped them and picked them up on time.
“They are at different schools now, but I still drive Christian every day.
“I appreciate how difficult and chaotic life can be, but if most people can get to their children on time, anyone can.
“Being late occasionally, if the bus breaks down or if an accident happens, is no problem.
“But persistent tardiness must be stopped and fining parents could work.
“If they refuse to pay, their children may have to be excluded from extracurricular activities. It seems cruel, but it may be the only way.
“Picking up your children late is unfair to teachers, who are forced to stay to care for them.
“Children want to fit in, so just as they feel embarrassed if they arrive late to class, they may also become anxious if parents don't pick them up on time.
I do not care
“Fines should be affordable but tough enough to make parents afraid to organise, for example £6 at a time.
“Getting kids to school on time can be a challenge, so I make sure they're all in order the night before.
“The homework is done, the forms are signed and the uniforms are ready.
“I also let them help. One person makes breakfast, another packs lunches and another takes out the trash cans.
“I taught them young, now it's second nature. Just as I make sure to leave enough time when picking up Christian, I also leave early every morning.
“That way he's still on time when we're stuck in traffic.
“Some parents just don't feel like dropping off and picking up their children on time.
“As a single mother, I have a second job in a café and I often see children staying up late with their parents. No wonder they can't get up in the morning.
“Parents may not mind being fined if they take their children out of school on holiday as the fines could be less than the money they have saved.
'But they don't want to pay out every week because they are late.
“There are of course some exceptions to the rule and teachers usually know if there are problems at home in a family.
'But what if parents don't care? Then it is time for them to be fined.”
NO, says presenter, author and former teacher VICKI BROADBENT
Vicki and her software developer husband Peter, both 43, and their three children, live in Harrogate, North Yorks.
She says: “As a former teacher, I know how important a good education is. But it is ridiculous to fine parents for picking up their children late.
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“Children sometimes arrived late in the morning and parents sometimes arrived too late to pick them up.
'But instead of scolding them, I thought about why they were having trouble getting to school on time and asked if I could help in some way.
“Maybe something was going on at home and they needed to talk?
“At parent evenings I saw that some were facing challenges, often for reasons beyond their control.
“Punishing people who are already struggling, whether emotionally or financially, will not help. It will make things worse.
“The majority of parents do their utmost to ensure that their children go to school and are picked up on time.
“But life often gets in the way. Not every school has comprehensive care, such as breakfast clubs or after-school activities.
“That means working parents have to adjust their schedules or leave work early and rush to pick up their children.
Stop judging it
“I am mother to Oliver, 14, Alexander, 11. and Florence, two.
“At Alexander's school, in a small village, traffic is backed up and there is not enough parking.
“It's a challenge to get there on time, even if I leave early.
“I've been late a few times, but the school kept him at the reception for 15 minutes.
“I always call to let them know that I will be late, and parents should definitely do that.
“Schools want to work with families to improve attendance; they don't need despondent parents who feel punished.
“As families are hit by the cost of living, increasing financial pressure is not the answer.
“Schools must take a compassionate approach, not a draconian one.
“Most children in secondary school go to school themselves, so it would not be fair to fine parents for the behavior of their children.
“At Oliver's school they are stopped after being late three times.
“That gives the children an incentive to be on time, but sometimes they can't help it if they are late.
“Some travel long distances and are at the mercy of public transport, so fining them would not be fair.
“We need to stop putting extra pressure on families – especially mothers, who are more often than not in school.
“Let's stop judging parents and start supporting them instead.”