Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1899 School Attendance.

Manawatu Herald, 19 August 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1899 School Attendance.

Evert month a number of summonses are issued against parents for not complying with the conditions of the School Attendance Act, thereby causing a lot of labour upon the police and also to the parents to defend the charges. The Truant Inspector acts upon the presumption that because the child was marked absent on the school roll he ought to be summoned whether the child was well or ill, simply because the chairman of the school committee had not granted an exemption certificate ; and the head master appears to refuse notice from the parents that their child is ill from the same reason. Now we understand that the Act makes no demand upon the parent to get an exemption certificate unless it pleases him to do so, but because of this neglect it does not follow that he must be fined. The Act is very clear upon this point that the liability to fine arises simply from the neglect to send a child to school the stipulated number of times such child " being in good health." It is absurd to suppose that a child in illhealth should be ordered to school and still more that the parent should have to hunt after the chairman of committee for an exemption certificate. It is manifestly to the best interests of the school that a child in ill-health should not be sent to school. We think parents should notify the teacher on the return of the child to school of the reason for his absence, and if it has beea from illness no summons should be issued, as it creates unpleasantness and puts the parents to much unnecessary trouble, tor if they urge on oath the reason for such absence being sickness the case is bound to be dismissed. Where no intimation is given to the teacher for

the child's absence we admit no other course is open but to summons, and to save the infliction of a fine the parent has to attend Court, All this worry would be avoided by the committee directing the master to accept the reason of ifthealth as a bar to taking proceedings, and then parents would notify the teachers if only to save themselves further trouble. As the present summoning is worked it has the appearance of -being done in an off-hand thoughtless manner and will result in the school being brought into great disfavour. It must be a simple task for the teacher to be able to test the truth as to the state of the absentee^ health with the attendance of so many of hla neighbours. A case of misrepresentation should be severely punished, and for a time great care to test the reports should be taken.