An e-petition which supports taking children out of school during term time challenging current laws has gained more than 40,000 signatures.
The online campaign argues that children who have good attendance should be allowed up to ten days holiday a year – to avoid parents having to pay high prices to travel abroad with their family during the summer.
It claims that the changes would adversely affect many families who cannot afford the cost of a holiday outside of school time.
Angela Mcfarlane, a 47-year-old mum-of-one from Littleborough, agrees with the e-petition.
“Inflating the prices is disgusting – if they kept the prices lower more people could afford to go away, which would mean more sales and more profit,” she said.
As the law stands parents can be ordered to attend parenting classes, or pay a fine of up to £120 if their child is absent from school ‘without a good reason’.
The online campaign argues that ‘good parents should not be criminalised for wanting to enjoy an affordable annual family holiday’.
When an e-petition gets more than 10,000 signatures a response from the relevant government department is prompted, but the Government has no plans to change its policy on the issue.
The Department for Education said: “It is a government priority that children of compulsory school age and who are registered at school attend school regularly.
“There is clear evidence that any absence from school can and does impact on children’s education attainment.”
Families can be forced to pay up to 90% more for a trip abroad during the school holidays, with prices being hiked by travel companies.
Stephen Marciniak, General Secretary of the Manchester Teachers’ Association, said: “If children are allowed extra days the worry is that travel companies would simply extend the period of premium prices.
“The onus is on travel companies to be made aware of costs of holidays on families in times of recession.”
Picture courtesy of Lonnon Foster via Flickr, with thanks.
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