British government proposes raising school-leaving age to 18
Catchup-mode again.
Back in March, the government proposed raising the school leaving age to 18, with sanctions such as £50 fines and ASBO-style “attendance orders”.
Since then, there has been critical commentary from the following bloggers that’s worth reading:
- Not Saussure
- Fabian Tassano, who points out that this is an attack on civil liberties
- Samizdata
Fabian Tassano and others have since set up Educational Conscription, a blog dedicated to resisting this measure, suggesting that the new plans are simply a form of conscription and asking whether it is right that people considered old enough to (in no particular order) get married, join the army, have children and learn to drive (as 17 yr olds can) should be forced to stay on in education.
And now there is to be a central register of children whose parents wickedly take them on holiday during term time. What - in most cases - would they have been doing in school that is so educational?
Comment by Little Black Sambo — 11 April, 2007 @ 7:06 pm