Parents pay for teenager’s school absence

Parents of a teenage boy who refused to get up in the mornings have been fined $50 for failing to get him to school.

The unusual case unfolded in the Dunedin District Court, when Donna Davey and Shane Dryden, of the South Otago township of Clinton, appeared last week.

The pair, who are no longer together, each admitted a charge under the Education Act of failing to ensure their child was enrolled, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Their 15-year-old son, who lived with Davey, attended South Otago High School until May this year. His schooling was interrupted because of constant nonattendance, it was reported.

The court heard that over 62 school days, the teen was unjustifiably absent on 38 days, with a further seven classified as justified absence.

The teen was removed from the roll after every 20 days of unjustified leave.

In May, the Education Ministry sent a letter to the boy’s parents threatening legal action.

Their counsel Jo Turner said that both Dryden and Davey were ‘‘at a loss’’ over how to handle their son, it was reported.

They had tried everything, but they still could not get him out of bed.

‘‘He refuses to get up in the morning,’’ Turner said.

However, it remained the responsibility of the parents to have him attend school until he was 16.

The teen’s parents were fined $50 for failing to ensure their child was enrolled and each was ordered to pay court costs of $130.

A ministry spokeswoman told Stuff it was inappropriate to comment on decisions made by the court.

There had been four prosecutions since 2014, including one in 2015 and two in 2017.