The number of children who occasionally play truant to go on holiday has returned to pre-coronavirus levels. In the 2021-2022 school year, the most recent figures, there were exactly 1540 children, three times more than a year earlier. Then many schools had to close their doors because of corona.
Among the truants that year was also the then 6-year-old son of André Hazes and Monique Westenberg, who must answer to the court on Thursday. They took their child to America outside the school holidays and without the director’s permission.
When questions arose on social media about this, Westenberg responded that they were ‘own entrepreneurs’ and could apply ‘to leave outside the holidays’, but they would not have received that permission anyway. Hazes later responded himself RTL Boulevard on the matter and said that he suffered the consequences with great love. It had ensured that his relationship with Monique Westenberg was good again.
Heavy fine
It is difficult to say how many more parents will have to answer for themselves in court, according to the interest group of school attendance officers Ingrado. A fine has been imposed in all 1540 cases, which can amount to a maximum of 900 per family. Lawsuits only follow if parents refuse to pay the fine or if they have been on holiday with their children for more than two weeks. ,,Our impression is that most people simply pay,” says director Corien van Starkenburg of Ingrado.
Luxury absenteeism is only a small part of all truants, about 4 to 5 percent. The school attendance officers are much more concerned about children who do not appear at school for other reasons, for example due to problems at home. Nevertheless, unauthorized holidays are also being tackled. “We have agreed that children go to school. You don’t sacrifice that to do other things,” says Starkenburg.
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