EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3774, 17 September 1907, Page 2

EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES.

A communication was read from the Headmaster at last night’s School Committee meeting in reference to the vexed question of exemption certificates. The Headmaster stated that during the month of August some twenty or thirty exemption orders had been issued, which he had been informed were irregular and invalid. The Secretary of the Board had asked the Headmaster to bring the matter under the notice of the Committee and the parents concerned. He desired to explain the matter at length in order that much trouble might be saved parents and Committee in future. “ The greater number of invalid certificates,” wrote- the Headmaster, “ are caused through the parents, when applying for exemptions, mistaking the dates on which their children were absent. For instance, it is useless for the parent to go to the Chairman or anyone else and ask for an exemption order on the grounds of ‘ whooping cough ’ when the child is attending school intermittently right through the period asked for. I give one example, which I might state is not an imaginary one. A boy is absent on Monday morning. His excuse is, ‘ Washing day ’ ; but his mother’s reason is ‘ sickness.’ The same boy attends' a football or hockey match on Wednesday afternoon. The mother’s excuse is r worms.’ On Friday it is raining heavily, and the boy stays at home on account of ‘ the weather. ’ He turns up at school again-on Monday afternoon and begins another week in the same style. In the meantime, however, on Saturday morning, the mother goes to the Committee and asks for an exemption for the reason that the child is suffering from ‘whooping cough,’ which certificate is granted, and dated from Saturday to Monday following—three days, Saturday, Sunday, Monday—and therefore worthless. Now if that boy be entitled to an exemption, the mother should be careful to state that he was absent on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ; that he was ‘ sick ’ on August sth ; had ‘ worms ’ on August yth; and ‘whooping cough ’ on August 9th. ' Whoever then makes out the order can fill in the proper dates, and fill in the - proper scheduled reasons printed at the bottom of every certificate. Several of the certificates of exemp- . tion refused were invalidated on the score of improper signatures. Some were obviously made out by the parents themselves, and never saw.the School Committee ; some were made out and signed by the boys and girls who had been absent ; some were signed by the Chairman only; some by one member only; some by two members—all of which, of course, were invalid, irregular, and so much waste paper. An unsigned certificate is irregular, and; cannot be considered by a teacher as sufficient ground for entering opposite the child’s name in the weekly absentee list the word ‘ exempted,’ or such other word as will lead the Truant Officer to abstain from prosecuting the child’s parents. A certificate signed by one member of the School Committee is irregular. A certificate signed by two members of the Committee is valid if one member be either chairman or secretary. The exemption certificate must cover the time during which the childrefy are absent or attend irregularly. The Scheduled ‘ reasons ’ also appear to be imperfectly understood. No. 1. (In the case of a child under 10 and living over two miles from the school). If absent or irregular the parent must get an exemption and the reason for granting such will be that ‘ the distance the child would have to walk is over two miles.’—No. 2.(1n the case of a child of ten years or over and residing over three miles from the school). The parent or guardian must get an exemption and the reason given must be that ‘ the child has to walk more than three miles to school..’ —No. 3. refers to a child on a visit outside Foxton or being instructed at home by parents or tutors. The reason given on the exemption and an exemption must be obtained from the Committee in this case, shall, be that ‘the child is under effil cient and regular instruction as (name of school or place). Sche-( dule No. 2, 4 and 5 require no explanation.”

Considerable discussion took place in reference to the above. Mr Hennessy said that as the whooping cough epidemic had ceased, he did not think exemption orders should be granted indiscriminately by committee men. He would not sign any more. He thought the Headmaster was the the best judge as to whether , exemption orders should be granted, and he was in favour of letting him act. Some parents had brought the matter of obtaining exemption certificates down to a fine art.

Mr Tevett was of opinion that exemption orders were being abused. The Chairman said there was no doubt bogus exemption orders had[ been put in. V Mr Baker said that the Committee could grant exemption orders “ for any reasonable cause ” which the Headmaster had omitted to mention. He was not in favour of conferring the power wholly on the Headmaster, The Comnot shirk its duty in opposed to grantexemptions. Mr Baker’s moved confer the