Broad coalition calls on parliament to stop exclusion of children.

Broad coalition calls on parliament to stop exclusion of children.

A bill from SP and GroenLinks is discussed in the House to stop exclusion of pupils in primary and secondary education. Pupils can still be excluded from activities or lessons if parents have not paid the (full) parent contribution. The coalition, made up of representatives of parents, students, teachers, school leaders, public education and children’s rights organizations, now urges the House to vote for the law and stop exclusion. They sent a letter to politics on the initiative of Ouders & Onderwijs.

Exclusion

Children can still be excluded from activities like a school trip or lessons if the voluntary parent contribution is unpaid. The letter’s signers think every pupil should be able to join activities and lessons at school. This should not depend on the parents’ financial situation.

The proposal

The proposers Kwint (SP) and Westerveld (GL) want to limit exclusion with this bill. Schools must make sure every pupil can join all activities. This applies whether the parent contribution is paid or not. They want to reduce exclusion in education with this.

A majority in the House is needed for the bill. The House will debate more about the law next week.

Signatories

There is wide support for the bill inside and outside education. This shows in the large and varied group of organizations that made the letter.

The next organizations have signed: AOb, AVS, Beter Onderwijs Nederland, CNV Onderwijs, Defence for Children, FvOv, LAKS, OCO Amsterdam, Ouders010, Ouders & Onderwijs, the Reformational Parents Association, Save the Children, Vereniging Openbaar Onderwijs, VOS/ABB, Landelijk Verband van Gereformeerde Schoolverenigingen (LVGS), JOB and Vereniging voor Gereformeerd Schoolonderwijs (VGS).

The letter can be read here.

If you deal with exclusion or have questions about the voluntary parent contribution, you can call the information point of Ouders & Onderwijs every working day: 088-6050101.