Charlie Taylor, the schools’ adviser brought in after last year’s riots, has convinced Michael Gove that a hard-line must be taken, so headteachers will no longer have the discretion to grant authorised absence during school holidays. Given the brief of urgently addressing increasing truancy rates, which are portrayed by the Government as creating an underclass and contributing to rising prison and young offender numbers, Mr Taylor has pointed to the discretionary holidays regime in schools as an abuse of a power supposed to cover only illness or bereavement.
What about those families whose parents work in a factory and the shutdown period doesn’t coincide with school holidays; what about those who can’t afford the drastic increases in price that holiday firms charge in school holidays. It is essentially another tax which will be disproportionately felt by the lower classes. Yes holidays aren’t an essential part of life but choice should be. This Govt appears quite good at taking away people’s choices.
Jason E Cooper 