Three mothers who have kept their children out of school since the start of the pandemic are facing lawsuits and fines of up to £ 2,500.
The parents are being persecuted by separate local authorities as the term starts again with measures taken by the government to curb the spread of Covid among students as infection rates hit record levels.
The measures include recommending that high school students in the UK wear masks in classrooms as a temporary measure and that an additional 7,000 air purification units be made available to schools, colleges and the early years.
However, the mothers all say they would rather go to jail and then send their children back to classes before what they consider strict Covid reductions is in place.
April May Booth, from Portsmouth, has been summoned by City Council to appear in court later this month after pulling her son, Casper, out of personal training in March 2020. Mrs Booth, 32, removed the 12-year-old from her last years in elementary school, and though he is now enrolled at The Portsmouth Academy, he has never gone.
The self-employed artist, who has skin cancer, told Metro.co.uk that she has homeschooled her son and plans to plead not guilty.
She said: ‘Casper has been out of school since the start of the pandemic when his grandfather was on intensive care with Covid for over six weeks and it was touch and go for a while. That was what started in the first place. I have never felt that schools are safe and I have wanted to take a cautious approach.
»I have had meetings with the academy and the municipality, and I have kept an eye on all risk assessments and precautions, which have included keeping windows open depending on the weather.
‘Schools are only just catching up with the fact that Covid is in the air and I have been constantly asking for CO2 monitors to identify poorly ventilated areas, but I have been treated like a fool.
‘With the new variant, it seems that the government has given the vaccine to adults and now expects children to take it on the chin.
“When case numbers go through the roof, I can not believe that any parents should be dragged through the courts when they are only trying to protect their children, their families and society.
‘Casper is not a’ ghost child ‘, they are welcome to knock on my door and check his welfare whenever they want.’
Ms. Booth also fears the disorder is caused by rising infections, and the related precautions will have a negative impact on Casper, showing signs of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that have been identified by mental health professionals.
A spokesman for the academy said: ‘Our highest priority is to keep students and staff at the school as safe as possible.
‘We take Covid precautions extremely seriously, following all public health advice on testing and self-insulation, and on ensuring good hygiene at all times, maintaining frequent cleaning regimes and keeping occupied spaces as well ventilated as possible.
“In any case, we are carefully considering whether it is appropriate to add further measures and contact public health officials.
‘We are happy that the vast majority of parents have confidence in what we do to keep everyone at school as safe as possible.
‘This schooling is compulsory so that children and young people can continue to receive an excellent education.
“Lack of school means that students fall behind, which has serious consequences for their progression. It is right that action be taken against parents who consistently deny children their right to education. ‘
Portsmouth City Council declined to comment on the specific case until after the hearing.
Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, said: “Portsmouth schools have followed national guidelines to make school as safe as possible for all pupils at a time that has been an extremely challenging time for all, including families and schools. ‘
Two other mothers, Sarah Paxman and Lisa Diaz, have previously told how they face lawsuits to keep their children out of school.
Ms Paxman, 38, has been told by Surrey County Council that unless her son, Stanley, resumes participation, the local authority intends to summon her to appear before judges.
She risks a fine of up to £ 2,500, which could be alongside or beyond a period of up to three years in prison if convicted. Ms Paxman told Metro.co.uk today that she intends to plead not guilty.
Mrs Diaz has said schools are ‘petri dishes’ for Covid and she will only send her nine-year-old daughter, Helena, back when the pupil is double-vaccinated. The mother of two, 40, has been told by the Wigan Council that Helena’s ‘bad attendance record’ could give her a fine and perhaps even lead to a family lawsuit.
In both cases, local authorities have defended their actions, saying that the presence of children is important for their development and well-being.
The mothers are being persecuted at a time when Omicron is threatening a national crisis in the NHS and disruption of public services.
In a joint statement yesterday, the four main teachers’ associations warned of high absenteeism rates among staff and said, while welcoming the latest initiatives, that the spring period will be ‘extremely challenging’.
Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi told the BBC: ‘The painful lesson we learned was when children did not go to school, the impact on their mental health and of course their education was quite significant.
‘That’s why I am so determined, like the Prime Minister, to make sure that education remains open and that children are the best place when they are in the classroom, with their friends, and learning in front of a teacher.’
The Ministry of Education (DfE) has previously said: ‘We remain committed to protecting face-to-face teaching and keeping schools open to all students because the classroom is the very best place for children’s development and well-being.
‘We have strengthened our safeguards in a targeted and proportionate way in response to the Omicron variant.
“In line with the wider position across society, now that every child aged 12 and over with specific underlying health conditions has been offered the vaccine, it is true that all children are supported to return to class with additional measures such as regular tests on space. ‘
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