POLL: Are parents justified taking children out of school for term time holidays? 

Shetland Times columnist Laurie Goodlad has reignited a debate on whether parents are justified in taking their children out of school for family holidays during term time.

Her latest Straight Talking, published in today’s newspaper, describes how she has taken a “U-turn on education”.

Whereas before the pandemic Ms Goodlad said she would never have dreamt about skipping school for a holiday, now she feels no guilt in doing so.

She freely admits her family – including her eight-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son – are currently on an unauthorised skiing holiday in Norway. 

Ms Goodlad said unauthorised absences are on the rise in the UK, and worldwide, post-pandemic.

But when lockdown hit, she said parents were assured missing school would not have a detrimental impact.

And when teachers took strike action, schools were also closed.

Now, Ms Goodlad suggests parents should also have the right to choose whether or not to send bairns to school.

She has also criticised the school curriculum for focussing too much on “academic achievements and outdated teachings”.

At this week’s full council meeting, Shetland South councillor Alex Armitage made similar calls for a more diverse curriculum, including more “practical” skills.

Issues around the pandemic were also discussed. Children’s services director Samantha Flaws suggested lockdown may have been partially responsible for the increase in the number of bairns with additional support needs.

However, Mrs Flaws has also made repeated comments at previous meetings about the importance of bairns attending schools.

Following a a significant increase in unauthorised absence, as reported to the council, Mrs Flaws stressed: “We do not condone unauthorised absence”.

What do you think?