A dad has been slapped with a £120 fine after his children went on holiday during school time - but he claims he knew nothing about it. Matthew Beale, who is separated from the youngster’s mother, said that the primary school hit him with a £60 fine for each of his children.
But the dad-of-two said that their six-week holiday to Australia was not something he knew about. His name is on the birth certificate and so far, his appeals to both Radleys Primary School and Walsall Council to rescind the fine have fallen on deaf ears.
“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,” Mr Beale, whose kids are aged 5 and 8, told Black Country Live.
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“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.”
Mr Beale who works as a logistics manager said he was having to borrow the money and is paying off the fines in instalments. The mum has also been fined.
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.”
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 added: “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.”
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