A single dad is furious after being fined £120 for his children jetting off on holiday during term time - even though he was not aware they had gone. Matthew Beale was hit with the fine after his two kids were taken out of their primary school during term time.
The father-of-two, whose kids live with their mum, slammed the rules after receiving a £60 fine for each child for a six-week getaway to Australia they went on with his former partner.
Because his name is on the birth certificate, he states appeals to both Radleys Primary School and Walsall to rescind the fine have led nowhere. Matthew, who is a logistic manager says that he is struggling with the cost of living crisis and will have to borrow money from friends or family, The Mirror reports.
He says that he will be 'out of pocket' for three months as he pays back the debt in instalments. The mum, who was visiting family abroad for the first time since the pandemic, has also been fined the same amount, it is understood.
Mr Beale, whose kids are aged five and eight, said: "My issue lies with the school who have fined me as a parent because I have parental responsibility as I'm on the birth certificates. I contacted them to explain I didn't know, I don't live with the children, but they explained I have the parental responsibility.
"The frustrating part for me is, while trying not to pay the fine, I've asked for advice from the headteacher on how I can avoid this." The school reportedly told Mr Beale he should have made a call to them to say he "disagrees with the kids being taken out of school."
He added: "Even if I did know they were going on holiday, how would I stop another human being going to the airport? So to pay £120 for not being able to control the actions of another adult is ridiculous.
"I mean do I have to go and research all their terms and conditions to not get fined? Bearing in mind I don't live with them, I don't understand how it's fair." Regardless of whether the couple were together or not, he says, the school would "still have a right to fine me". The fine was issued by Walsall Council on behalf of the school after a six-week holiday between April 5 and June 9.
He has until August 14 to pay the fine, or will see it double. He continued: "I'm a single dad struggling to survive who has had a period of unemployment of two months this year.
"I'm going to have to borrow off friends and family that's the only way I'm going to be able to afford it. With the cost of living, price of butter is going up, I can't even eat toast now without having to pay £7 or £9 for a pack of Lurpak.
"I am struggling, I am having to borrow money to pay these fines. Mr Beale now plans to speak to the Education Welfare Service and the Citizens Advice Bureau for help. He added: "I can't see any of that coming into play before I'm going to be forced to pay this fine.
"I'm going to be out of pocket for probably three months. I can't pay that back in one instalment, it's going to have to be three or four months."
"The school have tried to fob me off on the phone. I've asked for compassion and to be pardoned for my ignorance and it's disappointing that I've received no other emails other than that the fine will stand."
Walsall Council said: “Both parents/carers of a child have a legal duty and are therefore responsible for ensuring that a child attends school regularly. If a child is taken out of school without authorisation, the school will notify the local authority and both parents/carers will be issued with penalty notices - each with a responsibility to pay their own notice(s).
"School headteachers are advised not to grant any leave of absence during term time for any purpose unless there are exceptional circumstances.”
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