Consideration?

The idea that parents should be fined if their children are late for school has raised its head again.  Of course, you need to take any newspaper report with a pinch of salt - it may be that the question of a fine only arises in the case of persistent lateness - but, particularly perhaps in the case of persistent lateness, surely the question of why arises?  There may be good reasons why a parent finds it difficult - if not impossible - to get their child to the school on time.  So should the school make allowances in such cases?  When I was a kid, and due to circumstances outside my, or my mother's control, I had to change from being a boarder to being a day-boy I was faced with a three bus journey to get to school, and the school were good enough to allow me to miss morning prayers and get there for first lesson - ten minutes late.  They could have been arsey, but weren't.  I don't know what their attitude would have been today but I was grateful that they were prepared to meet me halfway.  Give and take, eh??