A JUDGE has told the father of a nine-year-old boy, who attended school for just three days in the last school year, that he must register his child for home schooling.
At Bandon District Court Judge Joanne Carroll also ordered that the father comply with a home assessment from AEARS (Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service).
The father was brought to court on foot of an arrest warrant after failing to appear at a court sitting on June 13th.
Laura Sheehan of Tusla told Judge Carroll that the nine-year-old boy, who lives in West Cork, attended his local primary school for just three days between August of last year and June of this year, claiming there was a social and educational impact on the child as a result.
She said the parents of the boy had made no contact with the school over this while phone calls from Tusla were not answered by the boy’s parents and they weren’t willing to accept correspondence from the child and family agency.
Ms Sheehan said the boy’s parents need to enrol their son in school for this September or else have him home schooled, but so far they haven’t registered with AEARS for this service.
The boy’s father told Judge Carroll they withdrew their son from school as they had asked that he not be taught religion, and they have been home schooling him since.
However, Judge Carroll said that he would have to register and apply for home schooling on a formal basis.
‘Every child in this country has a right to an education and no parents is entitled to prevent that,’ said Judge Carroll, who added that the Department of Education must be satisfied of the home schooling conditions. The court was told that parents who wish to home school their child most register with AEARS and then agree to an assessor to visit the family home to set down minimum standards.
Judge Carroll told the father that they are entitled to home school their child but they haven’t registered for it and that the child must remain on the list for the local school until this is done.
‘You are not complying with regulations and the Department of Education doesn’t know if your child is getting proper levels of education,’ said Judge Carroll.
She said there was no reason that he and his wife can’t be proactive by September. ‘You must register your child for home schooling and comply with the assessment at your home. There is no alternative.’
She adjourned the case to September 12th with the man lodging €200 in cash for bail.
Judge Carroll vacated a bench warrant for the man’s wife but said that if it is not sorted she will issue a bench warrant for both of them,
‘Don’t let it become an active crisis,’ warned Judge Carroll.
