Parents stung with £120 fine for taking son out of school for grandmother’s funeral
20 August 2019, 14:52
One family has been left shocked after their council fined them for taking their son out of school to attend his grandmother’s funeral in South Africa.
Carol and David Follows have labelled the fine “unacceptable” after their son Logan, 9, missed eight days at school.
Following his grandmother’s death, Logan’s parents told his school he would need 12 days in total off for the funeral in South Africa.
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However, the school came back to the parents to inform them that the requested absence would become “unauthorised” after five days.
On 14th August the family were issued with a fine for £120, which could rise to £1000 of they do not pay it.
Talking to StokeonTrentLive, Carol Follows said: “We followed the correct protocol and sent a letter.
“The school said we could have five days of authorised absence, but the rest would be unauthorised. ‘
“It was obviously going to take us longer than five days to sort out the estate.”
She continued: “Logan has never exceeded absence levels and is above average on his school reports, so I don’t understand why we are being penalised for my mum dying.”
“It’s just not acceptable. If I had just gone on holiday then I would have paid the fine, but I was taking my son to bury his grandmother – I couldn’t just leave him at home.”
She finished with: “It just doesn’t leave a good taste in my mouth.’
