Why do young people skip school? Should their parents face prosecution if they do? Children's Express reporters ask young people what they think about truancy.
| If parents know their kids skive regularly then they should be prosecuted or they should try to stop them. |
Andy Mills, 17, Middlesborough
People only skip lessons they don't particularly like, such as maths. They've got better things to do. If you leave school with your parents it's not really skipping because you could be going to the dentist or something like that. I think parents do know when their kids skip school. It is fair that parents should be prosecuted for their kids skipping school because they should keep them under control more, but you can't control them all the time.
Paul Williams, 17, Middlesborough
Some people just don't like going to certain lessons - they don't see much reason in going, so they just go to town. I think parents do know when their kids bunk off because you can tell by the way people act and people are always arguing, so I think they know what's going on. I think people do skip school to get out of lessons because most of the time you'll just find them hanging around town doing nothing.
Rosie Knowles, 13, Westerhope
People skip school because it's so boring. If you're on holidays with your parents when you should be in school then it's not skipping. I don't think parents know when their kids skip school because they just do it behind their backs. It isn't fair that parents get prosecuted when their kids skip school because if they don't know about it then they have no control over them doing it. I don't know whether the Hoppings makes people skip school because it only happens once a year.
Sarah Cage, 13, Walker Gate
Some people just want to bunk off because they don't want to go to school, but if they were going on holiday then they are not really bunking off. Kids just bunk off behind their parents' back so they don't know about it. It isn't fair that parents get prosecuted because they don't have any real knowledge of it. The people who usually bunk off school probably find the Hoppings more exciting if they go during school time. People who don't normally bunk off school won't go to the Hoppings during school time because they know they will get done for it.
Lizzie Taylor, 14, Hexham
I don't know that many people who do skip school or why. It's probably just to get away from it. If you're off school with your parents then you're still truanting because you're still skipping classes. If you're on holiday and your school knows about it, then that's OK. Some parents do know when their kid skips school. If parents know their kids skive regularly then they should be prosecuted or they should try to stop them. I have never skipped school before.
Sophie Dixon, 14, Kenton Bar
I've never skipped school before but I know some people who do. They do it because there's better things to do. If your parents have given permission and so has the school then, no, it doesn't count as skipping school. I don't think parents are aware when their kids do it. I think that kids should be prosecuted instead of the parents. The Hoppings makes more kids skive off.
Lucy Smith, 14, Walker
People skip school because they don't like it and they think there's better stuff to do. If you're off school with your parents then you're not really truanting, because if the school knows about it then your parents will have given permission. If the parents don't know about it then it isn't fair that they should take the blame for it. I mean, it is their responsibility but you can't always get kids to go to school. I think the Hoppings do make people skip school.
Paula Lewis, 18, Kenton
I have skipped school before because it's boring. It isn't fair that parents are prosecuted for their kids skipping school because it's not them who are doing it. They are enouraging kids to go to school but, you never know, the kids might be skipping to get away from bullies. And if they are being bullied then they'll need their parents around, but if they are being prosecuted then they won't be able to help them. The Hoppings do encourage kids to skip school.
About the team
This story was produced by Amy Gilfellon, 14. Junior Jury is a weekly column published in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.
