The Island’s MP Andrew Turner took part in a debate on School Penalty Fines and Unauthorised Absence on Monday, raising among other issues, the Government’s involvement in the Isle of Wight Council’s case against Islander Jon Platt.
The Magistrates Court and the High Court have ruled against the Isle of Wight Council in favour of Mr Platt, who took his daughter on holiday during term time and then appealed against the fine. The Department for Education has now supported the Council, offering legal and financial backing to take the case to the Supreme Court.
Mr Turner said:
“… The High Court’s judgment did not find favour with either Isle of Wight Council or the Department for Education. The Department has now provided the council with funding and legal support to take the case to the Supreme Court. Mr Jon Platt is being given no such help; he is fighting this battle using private resources and not public money. The state is throwing the book at him for daring to stand up to the authorities and being found right—not once, but twice. So this is a real David and Goliath situation.
Andrew Turner has also pointed out that as a former teacher, whose parents were also both teachers, he understood the importance and value of education and knew first hand of the problems that absence causes, but his time in the classroom had shown him the value of family holidays, both in educational and other terms:
“… Before being elected to this House, I ran the Grant Maintained Schools Foundation and I am proud that this Government have taken forward the principle that we worked so hard to promote—greater autonomy and decision making in schools. So I find it incomprehensible why, on this particular issue, the Government insists that they know better than head teachers what is best for individual children.
“… I believe, however, that the introduction of the holiday fines by statutory instrument in 2013 was like using a cannon to try to kill a fly. The fines are inappropriate and unworkable, and have widespread damaging consequences.”
The Minister of State for Schools, Nick Gibb MP, stated later in the debate that the Government will set out the next steps in due course. It is believed that the Government may seek to legislate further on school absence due to holidays during term time, which has been opposed by a number of Conservative MPs, including Mr Turner.
The debate was a result of an e-petition that has received more than 200,000 signatures.
