Parents enraged as truancy law forces them to face action

PARENTS have reacted angrily to letters from schools warning they will be reported to the authorities if their children miss any more classes.

They have been receiving letters from schools informing them that under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, which came into effect last September, the names of parents whose children miss 20 days of school will automatically be forwarded to the authorities for investigation.

Many of the letters have been received by parents whose children have already missed 15 school days this year and it warns them that if the child misses another five days, parents will face action from the social welfare and truancy officers.

Callers to the Gerry Ryan radio show said the letters ignored legitimate sick notes provided by parents, or circumstances of family bereavement or trauma. While the campaign is designed to target irresponsible parents and prevent vulnerable children from early school leaving, many of the callers found the letters to be extremely upsetting and believed they tarred all parents with the one brush.

General secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) John Carr said that while parents’ anger was justified, directing it at principal teachers was unfair.

“Teachers are obliged to implement the law and there is no discretion in this legislation. Even if teachers know a child is sick in hospital or is validly absent they have no choice but to report it to the authorities.

“If the law is an ass it should be changed. And the way to change it is to lobby the Government and not blame teachers,” Mr Carr said.

He pointed out that the debate about schools sending out letters of warning was completely academic because the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), charged with implementing this legislation, had no staff or supports.

“This legislation was supposed to help vulnerable kids at risk from lack of school attendance but no infrastructure has been put in place to support this law.

It is a completely farcical situation,” he said.

Speaking to Gerry Ryan, NEWB chief executive Eddie Ward assured worried parents children who had missed school for legitimate reasons would not face any action.

Mr Ward said there was a learning curve during the implementation of this legislation and said teachers, social welfare officers and the NEWB would be working together to identify vulnerable children in danger of losing out on their schooling.