School late fines hit wrong target

Parents are now to be fined for kids being late for school.

Mums and dads in Essex, the West Midlands, and Hampshire will face £60 fixed penalties for being more than half an hour late.

And for primary school kids it seems totally right. Schools need to show kids there are penalties for not playing by the rules. And that they need to get to school for an education. But if the biggest miscreant is the parent, then it’s only fair they should take the rap.

But for secondary school kids who take themselves to school, is it really fair to penalise the parent? That just enables kids to avoid full responsibility for their behaviour for longer and creates a nasty division between home and school.

I’m all for a bit of punishment – but schools need to be handing it out to the real offenders.