Are term-time holiday parents victimised?

A SUBSTANTIAL portion of the council tax and other taxes I pay is used to provide schooling. What right does Mr Jon Platt think he has to abuse this investment by withdrawing his daughter from the educational system to suit him? The Government is right to take a stand on this — about a quarter of each year is allocated to holidays. Mr Platt is now threatening to send his daughter to private school. Brilliant — if he goes on holiday in term time it will be his money being wasted, not mine.

TONY TOLLER, Totland Bay, IoW. ALTHouGH I agree with the supreme Court judgment, there has not been enough investigation, resulting in too strict a decision. What about the emergency services and hospital staff who have no say over their holiday dates? They have staff holidays spread across the year. Why must these people with children of school age be victimised because of their work? We must not forget those in the service industry who have to work hard while school staff and children are on holiday. As a police officer, I had no choice but to take holiday during school terms. To force workers to stay at home during their holiday because they have children is discrimination. TERENCE F. MATTHEWS, rtd police officer, Upminster, Essex.

THE staff who work in schools also have holiday restrictions. Do we hear them complaining? No, because they either have to go into school or are at home, still working during the holidays. My husband and I have no children, but we have worked all our lives and paid our taxes to enable the children of today to be educated.

GWENDA CRITTENDEN, Bletchingley, Surrey.