The Australian Government will introduce new laws apparently designed to bring a halt to truancy. The proposal will see welfare payments to the parents/carers of children who regularly miss large amounts of time at school , slashed or stopped for a period of 13 weeks.
This legislation will be hard to police. Granted there are far too many parents who don't do enough to ensure their children attend school but then there are those who tear their hair out as kids often wag school without parental knowledge and yet no matter how hard they try, are powerless to stop it. Each case no doubt will be dealt with on its own merits and exceptions are going to be made. Truancy occurs not only in families where the parents are receiving welfare but working families as well. Stopping welfare payments may spur parents into action but what measures are going to be put in place for children whose parents are NOT on welfare? Education is vital for all children regardless of social class or status yet if these laws are to be applied then how do you effectively apply them to families where no welfare is paid. I think it is a good idea that parents who don't give a dam will have a rude wake up call and be forced to finally get their own act together. It is no surprise that kids who don't attend school on a regular basis will be lacking in skills when it is time to join the workforce. The easiest option is to go on the dole and there again we add to another welfare dependant generation. Is this the kind of society we want where generation after generation live off government cheques or do we collectively take a stand and say no more and get active and become involved in keeping your child/ren in school.
6 comments:
Its all about dissa- dissi- whatever.
When I used to bunk off school and hunt racoons, m pa used to gran my by the ear and take me back, whip me with a cat of nine tails, lock in me in the celler for a wek with only a cusp of bread and a bottle of bourbon to drink.
And then he'd dissa- dissi- whatever me till I couldn't stand up properly.
Ah tell you, it worked.
I know all 26 letters of the alphabet today.
I hate to admit it(and I wouldn't want my kids to know) but I did skip a class or two in high school.
After my Mother got through with me, I didn't do that any more.
I do believe parents should take an active role in keeping their children in school. Also, being a parent I know it is easier to say what some one else should do than doing it yourself.
It is hard to raise children. You do your best and hope for the best.
Oh I know that kids will always wag school , it's those parents who know that their children are doing so and sit back and don't give two hoots. The ones who are too consumed with their own daily routine that the kids take a back seat.
Luckily my kids never skipped school so I did not have to deal with this issue. It seems very harsh to me, because many parents can do nothing about it, so those on welfare who are already stretched to the limit financially are to be penalized and maybe will not be able to buy food for their children. There has to be a better way
There will be exceptions JMB, for those who do their utmost to have the kids attend school, I think this is aimed at those who primarily do nothing and willingly let their kids roam the streets etc.
One size fits all solutions would not work with truants. I'm glad there will be exceptions.
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