Single mum refuses to pay 'ridiculous' fine after jetting her five kids to Benidorm
A single mum-of-five is defying the new higher fines for taking children out of school without authorisation in England, stating the increased penalties 'wouldn't make a difference'.
Despite facing prosecution and fines previously by Solihull Council for a similar offence, Leanne Bray took her kids -each with different additional needs - to Benidorm.
She argues that she has the "right" to holiday at times that suit her family best.
READ MORE - Man who married his old PE teacher says his mates 'still call her Miss'
READ MORE - Balearic Islands issue urgent plea as Brits flee Spanish holiday hotspots
Having already been fined earlier this year for an unauthorised holiday during term time, Leanne expects another hit to her wallet for the current getaway. The UK government recently increased the fine to £80 per child, aiming to discourage absenteeism, but Leanne and others are poised to continue prioritising affordable holidays over these regulations.
She's calling out the government for not considering families like hers, where children have special requirements.
Parents who take their children out of school could face escalating fines, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson branding 'persistent absenteeism' as 'a big problem'. She cautioned that a third fine within three years could lead to prosecution, reports the Mirror.
This comes after reports that in the week ending July 19, an astonishing 450,000 pupils were absent without permission. Yet, parent Leanne argues that these rule changes are not an effective deterrent.
Speaking to BirminghamLive, she said: "I think it's out of order. All my children have additional needs and it's important for us to have family time at a time of year that suits us - when it's less busy. I don't think the government is taking into account the needs of the population."
She added: "Coming on holiday at a busy time of year, like the summer holidays, is very challenging for my kids - they have meltdowns because of the extra noise, all the queuing and the overcrowding. I want my children to enjoy their holiday, if we came away during the busy summer holidays, that's not a break for any of us because the children get too overwhelmed and I'd be constantly dealing with meltdowns."
Leanne took her family to Lanzarote during term-time without permission, leading to a fine that she ended up challenging in court after Coleshill Heath Primary School declined her request for leave. Now opting to homeschool her four youngest children, Leanne has taken a firm stand on educational autonomy.
However, there's still the expectation of a penalty for her eldest child who attends secondary school.
She rationalised her decision by highlighting the discrepancies in holiday pricing: "I don't think these new fines will make much of a difference, people will pay them because the cost of a holiday in term time is much cheaper than during the summer holiday. I will challenge my fine because I believe, as a family, we have rights and needs and as a single parent to five children, I'm entitled to a break."
Further justifying the trip, she stressed the educational value of their travel experience: "My children are also learning while they're here, they're meeting people from different cultures, learning a new language, and we go on day trips to learn about different animals - it's all very educational. Children learn in different ways, my children learn more with their hands than sitting in a classroom."