Mum 'will fight on' in school place row
A mother is keeping her child at home in a row over which school he goes to.
Tina Mullett is refusing to send her four-year-old son to a school four miles away because she wants him to attend a school 250 yards from her home, with his siblings.
Ms Mullett, 31, of Braunstone Town, admitted she missed the application deadline by 24 hours but said it was because she was recovering from a back injury at the time.
She said: "His siblings Alfie, nine, and six-year-old Ruby go to Ravenhurst Primary, where I also work as a dinner lady.
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"As far as we were concerned, it was always the case that Thomas would follow them.
"When Thomas was at nursery, he was taken to Ravenhurst to show him what the big school he was going to looked like.
"He loved it and was very excited about going to the same place as his brother and sister."
Ms Mullett, a mother of four, said: "When they told me Thomas had not got in, I appealed.
"I was not able to attend the appeal hearing because I was suffering from post-natal depression.
"The council said I should send Thomas to a school in Enderby, which is about four miles away. They said they would send a taxi so he could get there.
"How crazy is that? Apart from the waste of money, I am not going to put my four-year-old son in a taxi on his own."
Ms Mullett said she would keep Thomas off school. "I have been told by the council that if I don't send Thomas to this school in Enderby I will be fined. Let them," she said.
"I am going to contact my MP and see what can be done."
She said she was now off work sick with stress and depression because of the situation.
"It is affecting my health and Thomas is very upset and confused," she said.
"We walk to school with his brother and sister and he asks why he isn't going to school with them.
"I was at work the other day and some of his friends asked where he was. I could not take it any more. I broke down and had to go home.
"Thomas should go the same school as his brother and sister. It just makes sense."
A spokesman for the county council said: "Every year, we use newsletters, magazine adverts, posters, radio, schools and other channels to raise awareness of the need to apply on time.
"Applying late means you have the lowest priority and if the school is full, parents will have to take-up places elsewhere.
"We sympathise with the parent and an independent appeals panel considered this case. Unfortunately for the parents, the panel did not find in favour of their appeal.
"A second appeal can be granted if people are able to demonstrate significant and material change in their circumstances since the initial appeal.
"We have, in the meantime, offered the family an alternative school."
Comments
by garyb2011
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 8:06PM
“sansue
Nice example of 'Enforcement' eh?”
by sansue
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 7:19PM
“"Yes, the mother does have to accept her mistakes, but the council have a responsibility for young Thomas, and to take it out on Ms Mullett (for that is how it appears to me) is a very mean and childish attitude."
Oh for goodness sake, they aren't "taking it out" on anyone! Do you really think that they are doing this to "punish" her?! She missed the deadline, the process is closed, the school is full. To accuse them of being childish is just, well, childish.”
by AK_London
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 4:37PM
“Spelling correction: shouldn't not should.”
by AK_London
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 4:36PM
“@ MacMonkey74 & MusicalK
It is possible that the father has passed away. I'm just stating a possible scenario. And if that is the case, they should have to mention it in the article just to appease the readers. If he was relevant to the story, then i'm sure he would have been mentioned.
As he hasn't, i don't think it's appropriate to bring it up. Just my 2 cents.”
by MusicalK
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 4:05PM
“Why do some people expect the 'authorities' to care more about their child than they do themselves? Take some responsibility as parents. The mother failed to complete the form in time, so why didn't the father take on this task?”
by MusicalK
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 4:04PM
“Why do some people expect the 'authorities' to care more about their child than they do themselves? Take some responsibility as parents. The mother failed to complete the form in time, so why didn't the father take on this task?”
by MacMonkey74
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 1:29PM
“There's a lot in what you say that I desperately want to agree with CGlee, as I am all for giving people second even third chances. I probably wouldn't be one of those berating the mother at all if I got any sense of her accepting she is responsible for this not the council.
It's not just her though, what about the father, or any of this child's family? Why would a back injury stop someone from completing the application?
Rather than making excuses, even if the back injuries, post natal depression and stress etc are all genuine there should be contrition and a willingness to engage with the appeals process in good faith and not the childish stance that seems to have been adopted.
"We walk to school with his brother and sister and he asks why he isn't going to school with them."
Does the mother tell him the truth, that she mucked it up?
I actually hope that a compromise can be reached but I totally understand the councils position. If you have rules and those rules can be ignored then why should anyone follow them? That's the one point that no-one seems to see, where would the incentive be for other families to do things the right way?”
by CGLee
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 1:14PM
“There are many comments on here berating the mother for her failures, and while there may be some justification for this, at the end of the day it is a four year old child who is being made to suffer, and that is a disgrace perpetrated by all concerned.
Yes, the mother does have to accept her mistakes, but the council have a responsibility for young Thomas, and to take it out on Ms Mullett (for that is how it appears to me) is a very mean and childish attitude. Forget Ms Mullett's mistakes and do right by a small child, that is the grown up thing to do.”
by MacMonkey74
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 10:32AM
“Well Rammy, the appeal process would have probably seen one of those free spaces given to the unfortunate child in this story but the mother did not attend. The fact that she has got the get up and go to contact the local paper despite being off work through stress and depression tells me that she could have got the initial application in no problem.
Many parents have to go visit schools to decide where their child is going, they also may be unfamiliar with the application process but she works at the school, she knew where her child was going from the day the application forms were no doubt sent out and for the several months you get to complete it and hand it in.
And no I am not perfect and I have made mistakes, some big ones at that. I'm know that I have also let my kids down too from time to time but an issue for me here is the lack of acceptance of blame, a lack of humility.
Like I have already said, why should anyone follow the procedures if individuals are allowed to ignore them.”
by Rammy
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 10:16AM
“Mrs. Mullet has some very good reasons, not excuses, why the application is late. Some people on here must lead perfect lifestyles to make such comments that this is all her fault and so basically deal with it....would these people be so keen to see their child put into a taxi on their own in this day and age????? I doubt it, but these people probablly don't have children of their own and should refrain from being so judgemental.
The school that is 250 Yards away DOES have spaces available...they are left open in case any new children move into the catchment area!...How ridiculous is that???”