Compulsory school age does not mean compulsory school

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ThreeIrishSwans
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30 Aug 2009, 2:41 pm

In the UK, the Education Act 1996 states children between 5 and 16 are of "compulsory school age". However, in case you did not know, this does not mean compulsory school.

I present section 7:

7 Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—

(a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and

(b) to any special educational needs he may have,

either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

This might not be not of help to everyone but I know a lot of people and paretns and children would like to get out of schools. Going to school is not compulsory! Only receiving a "full-time education" is. Unless I've read the statue incorrectly. This applies to the UK only. Link here:
Education Act 1996 (c.56)



demeus
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30 Aug 2009, 4:14 pm

Your may be correct BUT there are a few things you are forgetting:

1) Most legal professionals, school district employees, law enforcement professionals, and the general public equate education with school. Listen to Pink Floyd's "Another Brink in the Wall (Part 2)" to get the gist of this. This means that you have to prove to them that school and education are not one and the same. It has been and can be done but you have to prove it as an affirmative defense, not the prosecution.

2) There also must be a method to prove that you are complying with this law. In other words, the school district can put reasonable expectations on you as a parent to prove that you are in compliance such as keeping records of attendance, keeping a portfolio of the students work, submitting the student for standardized testing, keeping a cirriculum, etc.

3) If you cannot prove that you are in compliance with the law, they you can be prosecuted for not giving an education, regardless of your viewpoints on schooling. All the prosecution has to prove is that they suspect you are not following the law and simply not sending your child to school is enough to do that. You then have to defend that you are following the law, just not as most of society does so.

So yes, the saw states that education is compulsory, not schooling. You however have to prove that you are providing said education if you do not follow the normal pattern set up by society.