He said a small number of parents were repeatedly dropping their children at the school gate at 7am, an hour and half before school started, and picking their children up as late as 4.30pm.
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“After numerous communications to a very small number of parents the school has chosen to take this step,” he said.
“Divine Mercy College, unlike most schools, provides supervision 45 minutes after school and 55 minutes before school without charge, to provide safety and care to the students.
“Up until now, for 27 years, we have not charged a single dollar to any parent for the hours of additional supervision we have provided.
“The measure mentioned in the newsletter is intended only to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, who otherwise would be neglected.”
He said his hope was that the extremely small minority of parents who were choosing to use the school’s sense of responsibility for students as an excuse to not make childcare arrangements of their own would take this as an opportunity to be more diligent in arriving on time.
The father of one student at the school, who asked not to be identified, said the stance was disappointing and disconcerting given the school espoused “good Catholic values” on its website.
“It is apparent that there may be an underlying lack of empathy for parents struggling to make ends meet during these tough times,” he said.
“No parent wants to ever leave a child waiting however it is apparent that the availability and cost of before and after school care may not be tenable options for all.
“If a private school is so flush with cash that it can afford to pay unvaccinated teachers to stay at home would it not be reasonable to consider allocation of similar funding to afford some support to struggling families and children.
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“It also begs the question what values are they actually teaching our children on a daily basis in the school?”
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Perth school threatens to charge by the minute if parents leave kids waiting at the gate
Source: Philippines Alive
