Mother Obliged to Pay £100 Fine to Teacher for Late Child Pick-Up at School

A parent found themselves facing a hefty fee of over £90 after arriving late to pick up their child from school, as revealed by a surprised teacher who received the unexpected cash payout.

Kristin Evans shared her experience of being compensated for the tardiness of a parent who breached the school’s policy on late pick-ups. Under the policy, parents are charged $2 (approximately £1.60) for every minute they exceed the designated collection time, with the funds intended to cover the additional time teachers must spend with the waiting pupil, as reported by The Mirror.

In a TikTok video, Kristin disclosed that she had to wait with a student for nearly an hour beyond the expected pick-up time. At the end of the day, her school supervisor handed her $116 (£92) as compensation for her time spent waiting.

Expressing a mix of surprise and bemusement in her video, Kristin remarked, “The director of my school just walked up to me and handed me $116. She said it was because one of my half-day students was picked up almost an hour late and we get paid $2 a minute for every minute that they’re late. So this parent was charged $2 a minute for being late and it goes directly into my pocket.”

@mrs._evans

This is a first and it feels weird. During my 10+ years in public education, I regularly waited 20-30 mins after school with students waiting for parent pick up. #publiceducation This late pick up policy is in my new school’s admission agreement. #privateschool This also is not the first or second or third time they’ve been 20+ mins late without notice or communication but this was the first time they were charged the late pick up fee.

♬ original sound – Mrs. Evans

While Kristin refrained from offering a personal opinion on the policy itself, her video elicited a range of reactions from TikTok users. Some expressed sympathy for the tardy parent, empathizing with the stress and anxiety they might have experienced in rushing to collect their child amidst unforeseen circumstances.

Conversely, others, including fellow educators, voiced support for the policy, highlighting the practical considerations of teachers’ time and the need for accountability. Advocates emphasized the importance of ensuring punctuality and the challenges faced by teachers who are not compensated for overtime.

The debate surrounding late pick-up policies underscored the complexities of balancing accountability with understanding in educational settings, prompting a diverse array of perspectives from online commentators.