Dawn O’Donoghue: Our country is punishing young people who want qualifications and a job
I've just had a telephone conversation with a young lady who, despite my frustration, valiantly tried to remain calm. I, on the other hand, was not in the frame of mind to be either calm or placid.
The reason for my anger (and it takes a lot to rile me) was because my son and his friends were asked to leave the school bus at the end of their school day.
This wasn't due to bad behaviour but because they didn't have their bus passes, despite having documents to prove these had been applied for.
Bearing in mind that this is the only direct transport to our village (and they did offer to pay the fare) they stood their ground and, at 16 and far more confident than I was at that age, won their argument that to leave the bus would put them in danger or, at the very least, force them to make a ten-mile hike home.
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Arriving home early from work I rang the School Transport Service and was told that unless I paid that evening (they close at 5.30pm and it was gone 5pm) my son wouldn't be able to catch the bus the next day and would, as a result, miss important classes at school.
What right have they to deny him his education?
At this point (short of stamping my foot) I uttered every frustrated mother's cry of "it's not fair" before hurtling off to sign a direct debit because I didn't have the £360 required for a full payment.
For the past five years the village children have caught the school bus to go to their respective schools. The cost presumably coming out of the taxes I dutifully pay every month.
The bus leaves the village half empty, which is hardly environmentally sound or economical – so much for the East Riding Council's policies on both issues.
Sadly, our youngsters face economic baggage (with the prospect of spiralling university fees) but even on the first rung of the further education ladder, as they enter sixth form, are slapped in the face by bureaucracy – pay for transport or don't go to school.
My son still needs feeding, clothing and generally supporting (which I gladly do) and, when asking for help with funding, I was advised to throw him out of the family home son he could claim benefits for himself.
Tell me then, why does this country want to punish those young people who desperately want to obtain qualifications and ultimately forge a career?
If we want a better nation, equipped to compete on a global level, then shouldn't we be looking at supporting kids who aspire to do more with their lives rather than making it difficult for them?
No doubt if my teenagers ran with the pack, got mixed up in crime or addiction, they would be helped more.
Perhaps if I chose not to work, my case would receive a little more sympathy.
At least my children have learned early in life that life itself simply isn't fair.
Comments
by January48
Thursday, September 27 2012, 10:59AM
“I'm not clear what was going on here. The boys had documents to prove that the passes had been applied for, but the money hadn't been paid?”
by Missfoodlove
Thursday, September 27 2012, 10:50AM
“IllaGhee1,
What has this got to do with the conservative party? This is about subsidised transport for sixth form students.
The state education in this country is free for all children as is transport to school if you live more than 3 miles away. The state also pays for uniforms and school lunches to low income families, this is not keeping education for those who can afford it. This is making sure every child has access to education.
The toffs you mention often opt out of the state system and place their children in private or public schools, this helps relieve some of the strain on the state sector.”
by IllaGhee1
Thursday, September 27 2012, 9:51AM
“Because tories believe in keeping education for people who can afford it as in where the plebs and they would like to keep it that way. Sorry to hear youve only just realised this you must of lived a sheltered life if you was a minority they would be throwing bags of cash at you and your family. But this country helps its own people last best thing you can do is take what you can from the system and not help in anyway give the phoney toffs taste of their own medicine.”
by Missfoodlove
Thursday, September 27 2012, 9:47AM
“Once a child is in sixth form education, transport to and from school has to be paid for. If the household income is below a certain level there is a 16 - 19 bursary that replaces the EMA grant.
This isn't about punishing young people for wanting an education, this is the public purse and there just isn't the money to pay for 16+ pupils schools transport.”
by Prescotts_Cat
Thursday, September 27 2012, 9:33AM
“Red tape bureacratic ****s is what it is.”
by pedelrebel
Thursday, September 27 2012, 9:30AM
“Perhaps we could have the bus companies view on this story before the mob comes on here.”
by rtyrty20
Thursday, September 27 2012, 8:40AM
“Blowing things up a little in your title there... how about "Bus Pass Delay Inconveniences Teens"”