3 Qld parents face court over children not attending school

Three parents have faced court after their children racked up a collective 149 days of unexplained absences from school, with bullying on social media blamed in one of the cases.

Three parents faced Gladstone Magistrates Court for failing to ensure their children attend school. Generic image.

Three Central Queensland parents have faced court for failing to ensure their children attend school.

One of the cases related to a young Gladstone girl who, without explanation, missed 28 days of school over a two-month period.

Her parents, a 39-year-old woman and 46-year-old man, both faced court, pleading guilty to one charge each of obligation of parent to ensure attendance.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jessica McLaren said on December 13, the Queensland Department of Education notified police of its desire to prosecute these two parents.

“Included in the information provided to police... (was) that the school had attempted to rectify this issue with (both parents) over a four-month period,” Snr Const McLaren said.

“There were 28 unexplained absences within the period of February 19, 2024, and April 29, 2024.

“The school sent two warning notices to the (parents) on March 8.”

Snr Const McLaren said on March 25, the parents were further advised that proceedings would commence if the situation was not rectified.

“The school attempted to contact (the parents) by telephone calls, text messages, letters in the mail and also email.”

Snr Const McLaren said the school also scheduled appointments with the parents who failed to attend.

“And the school reports that there have been no results from any interactions with (the parents).”

Three parents faced Gladstone Magistrates Court for failing to ensure their children attend school.

Snr Const McLaren said when police attended the mum’s home on December 15, she told them her daughter was “bullied on her second day and now refuses to attend the school.”

The prosecutor said police went to the dad’s home on the same day, and he told them: “The school year’s over, it doesn’t count anymore. What about the other kids? I’ve never got into any trouble for any of them not going to school.”

Solicitor Rio Ramos, who represented both parents, said their daughter had been subjected to “a lot” of bullying on social media.

Ms Ramos said the parents had been trying to get the girl into another school.

“They will, this year, try again - if not, they’re going to be home schooling,” Ms Ramos said.

The mum and dad had one and two-page criminal histories respectively - neither contained previous offending of this sort.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined both of them $400 and each had no conviction recorded.

The third parent, a 36-year-old woman, pleaded guilty to two obligations of parent to ensure attendance charges.

Her case related to her young daughter and also her son.

“In relation to (the daughter) there’s 60 unexplained absences... 47 unexplained absences from January 22, 2024, through until September 5, 2024,” Snr Const McLaren said.

The court heard the school had tried to contact the mother more than 30 times about her daughter and sent her two warning notices.

It was told the mum did not attend “offers of various forms of school support”.

“(Both children) have not attended (school) for most of Term 2 and 3 of 2024,” Snr Const McLaren said.

On December 15, police went to the mother’s home.

“She stated that she knew that it was coming after previously being charged for not sending the other child to school and provided no explanation (for the absences),” Snr Const McLaren said.

“In relation to (the son), there were 61 unexplained absences.”

The court heard the school tried to contact the mum 38 times about her son and also sent two warning notices.

It was told the mum had a one-page criminal history and what made her different from the other two parents, was she had previous offending of this sort on her record for which she received a $350 fine.

For the latest offending, Magistrate Buchanan fined the mum $650 and a conviction was recorded.

Originally published as 3 Qld parents face court over children not attending school