Families wishing to go on vacation with their children before the end of the school year risk a heavy fine.
The bell will ring at 4:30 p.m. on July 7. A happy day, for many families, because the summer holidays are about to begin in earnest. But be careful, if you plan to go on a trip before this date, when your child’s school year will officially end, you are exposing yourself to a heavy penalty. In effect, on its websiteNational Education – which anticipated premature departures on vacation – explains that a unjustified absence may be reviewed and investigated.
In other words, if your toddler leaves school without valid justification, you may have to paya fine of 135 euros. In detail, according toarticle L227-17 of the Penal Code, the penalty can be up to two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros, “if the unjustified absences compromise the education of the child”
Absence of children from school: four recognized reasons
Moreover, in his article L131-8the Education Code specifies that “When a child temporarily misses class, the persons responsible must, without delay, inform the director of the educational establishment of the reasons for this absence”. In these circumstances, four grounds are accepted: disease, a solemn family reunion such as a marriage, an impediment caused by a transport accident or when a child follows his legal representatives excluding holiday periods.
In other words, apart from these four reasons, the absence of a child from his school may be considered unjustified by the head of the establishment. And, therefore, his parents will expose themselves to an investigation.