Terminally Sick Boy Given Truancy Warning

A school has apologized for sending a truancy letter to the mother of a boy suffering from leukemia after she asked to take him out of classes to meet the Pope before he died. Louise Yates asked for permission from St Botolph's School to take her her six-year-old son Travis on a two-day trip to the Vatican in June for a blessing with the Pope. In response she got a letter about truancy and a copy of his attendance record. The school has since apologized and released a statement saying, "We are aware of Travis' illness and have given permission for him to travel to Rome during term-time. Government guidance suggests sending attendance information out with permission letters, but we appreciate in this instance it may not have been appropriate and we would like to apologise if this has caused the family any offence."

Comments

Doctors Note

[Joebert]

Did they ask him to bring in a Pope Note when he got back ?

Please excuse Bobbys' absense from class as he was busy being blessed.

The Pope

Why is this here?

[westlake]

An unfortunately worded form letter is routinely sent out by a secretary who had no reason to know - and no right to know - that the kid was dying.

Re:Why is this here?

[amiga3D]

When I first read the title I felt the same outrage you express. After reading the entire thing I can see how it happened. It was a mistake. One the school explained, owned up to and apologized for. It was not done maliciously but through typical bureaucratic red tape. What's rare about this is the apology. I don't know how many times I've seen a screw up like this where when the backlash hits the bureaucrats circle the wagons and start to get defensive, never wanting to admit the mistake.