Don't Raise the UK School Leaving Age to 18!
Target:
Alan Johnson, Rt Hon MP, UK Education Secretary
Sponsored by:
The UK Government plans to raise the school leaving age from 16 - 18 years old by 2015.
All 16-18 year olds will have to stay in school, training or workplace training once this legislation goes through. All the names of the 16 and 17 year olds will be recorded in a database to allow local authorities to track their attendance. Those already in employment will be forced to participate in training one day each week.
Proposed sanctions for those who do not attend may include ASBO-like 'attendance orders', £50 on-the-spot fines, confiscation of driving licences and ultimately prosecution.
This petition calls for a stop to these ridiculous proposals and says 'NO' to raising the school leaving age.
All 16-18 year olds will have to stay in school, training or workplace training once this legislation goes through. All the names of the 16 and 17 year olds will be recorded in a database to allow local authorities to track their attendance. Those already in employment will be forced to participate in training one day each week.
Proposed sanctions for those who do not attend may include ASBO-like 'attendance orders', £50 on-the-spot fines, confiscation of driving licences and ultimately prosecution.
This petition calls for a stop to these ridiculous proposals and says 'NO' to raising the school leaving age.
The UK Government plans to raise the school leaving age from 16 - 18 years old by 2015.
All 16-18 year olds will have to stay in school, training or workplace training once this legislation goes through. All the names of the 16 and 17 year olds will be recorded in a database to allow local authorities to track their attendance. Those already in employment will be forced to participate in training one day each week.
Proposed sanctions for those who do not attend may include ASBO-like 'attendance orders', £50 on-the-spot fines, confiscation of driving licences and ultimately prosecution.
This petition calls for a stop to these ridiculous proposals and says 'NO' to raising the school leaving age.
All 16-18 year olds will have to stay in school, training or workplace training once this legislation goes through. All the names of the 16 and 17 year olds will be recorded in a database to allow local authorities to track their attendance. Those already in employment will be forced to participate in training one day each week.
Proposed sanctions for those who do not attend may include ASBO-like 'attendance orders', £50 on-the-spot fines, confiscation of driving licences and ultimately prosecution.
This petition calls for a stop to these ridiculous proposals and says 'NO' to raising the school leaving age.
We, the undersigned, oppose the proposals to raise the UK school leaving age to 18. Our reasons for this are as thus:
1. We should be looking for the reasons why so many 16 year old currently wish to leave school early. If the Government can't keep them interested past 16 then how does two extra years help?
2. Young adults should be encouraged to stay on at school and should WANT to, not be forced into something they don't want. No one learns well when they're unhappy.
3. Problems such as bullying, school phobia, truancy, lack of discipline, violence, learning difficulties and disinterest are still rife as it stands, two more years of education/training will make things worse. Around 50,000 pupils miss school each day currently - that figure will only rise if young adults are forced to stay on. The Government spent £900 million on anti-truancy campaigns and the figures were hardly reduced.
4. It is ridiculous to suggest that 16 year olds may be allowed by law to have children and get married but not be allowed to leave school.
5. Training and further education opportunities are all available after leaving school at 16 anyway, and these options should be made more attractive to encourage people to participate as those who want to be in school etc. are more likely to learn and achieve the qualifications they've been working towards.
6. 16 children in the UK commit suicide each year due to problems with school. Forcing teenagers to stay in education for two more years may raise that already shocking figure.
7. Proposals for prosecution and community service orders for those who do not attend are preposterous. Currently community service is handed out to minor incidents of drink driving, theft, vandalism, assault, drug possession etc. Should we really be handing out the same punishment to young adults who don't attend education?
8. The increased amount of young adults staying on in school will mean either increased class sizes or more teachers. Which will it be? We are already suffering a shortage of teachers and how big will classes be increased to? More pupils means less one-to-one time with the teacher and with the subjects being more complex at this level of education, will this arrangement really help towards producing young adults with more qualifications?
This legislation is draconian, ineffective and will cause more problems than it will solve. It is a farce to claim that forcing unwanted education/training on 16-18 year olds will help our young people. These proposals are a way of "catching up" with other countries in the leaving age department - is it fair to take away young adults' choices about their future just to 'fit in?'
We say 'No' to rasing the leaving age, and we say 'Yes' to young adults having the right to choose!
Thank you for your time.
1. We should be looking for the reasons why so many 16 year old currently wish to leave school early. If the Government can't keep them interested past 16 then how does two extra years help?
2. Young adults should be encouraged to stay on at school and should WANT to, not be forced into something they don't want. No one learns well when they're unhappy.
3. Problems such as bullying, school phobia, truancy, lack of discipline, violence, learning difficulties and disinterest are still rife as it stands, two more years of education/training will make things worse. Around 50,000 pupils miss school each day currently - that figure will only rise if young adults are forced to stay on. The Government spent £900 million on anti-truancy campaigns and the figures were hardly reduced.
4. It is ridiculous to suggest that 16 year olds may be allowed by law to have children and get married but not be allowed to leave school.
5. Training and further education opportunities are all available after leaving school at 16 anyway, and these options should be made more attractive to encourage people to participate as those who want to be in school etc. are more likely to learn and achieve the qualifications they've been working towards.
6. 16 children in the UK commit suicide each year due to problems with school. Forcing teenagers to stay in education for two more years may raise that already shocking figure.
7. Proposals for prosecution and community service orders for those who do not attend are preposterous. Currently community service is handed out to minor incidents of drink driving, theft, vandalism, assault, drug possession etc. Should we really be handing out the same punishment to young adults who don't attend education?
8. The increased amount of young adults staying on in school will mean either increased class sizes or more teachers. Which will it be? We are already suffering a shortage of teachers and how big will classes be increased to? More pupils means less one-to-one time with the teacher and with the subjects being more complex at this level of education, will this arrangement really help towards producing young adults with more qualifications?
This legislation is draconian, ineffective and will cause more problems than it will solve. It is a farce to claim that forcing unwanted education/training on 16-18 year olds will help our young people. These proposals are a way of "catching up" with other countries in the leaving age department - is it fair to take away young adults' choices about their future just to 'fit in?'
We say 'No' to rasing the leaving age, and we say 'Yes' to young adults having the right to choose!
Thank you for your time.
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We signed the "Don't Raise the UK School Leaving Age to 18!" petition!
# 268:
7:13 pm PDT, Oct 14,
Alisdair Cunningham, Australia
# 267:
11:09 am PDT, Oct 13,
Jay Stephens, Georgia
# 266:
2:44 pm PDT, Oct 8,
Christine Martin, Georgia
Hi my name is Christine Martin and I am 19 years old. I think that the way society has changed through out the years in some ways is successful, and in some ways a failure. Being forced to go to any kind of training school, or any kind of school. I do think that the society is brainwashed by lies, and now it has become a part of life that we must live by, and if not there are consequences that totaly SUCK ASS!!!! I think that we would be alot happier if we were not made to go to school, or any training facility period. I think that also it is wrong to have the records go straight to a database period, because that is what our society's judgment is based on. If they do not go every single day and they are not dieing sick or bedridden sick, then there are consequences. They are being forced to do soemthing that may and may not be for them. If this petition does not work out, then those people should somehow come to america where it still sucks, but not as much as it does there. We have choices. We do have consequences also if we do not go to school, but we are not forced to go to a training school or workplace training. I know easier said than done, but when done you wont have to think about being forced to do something that may and may not be for you.
Hi my name is Christine Martin and I am 19 years old. I think that the way society has changed through out the years in some ways is successful, and in some ways a failure. Being forced to go to any kind of training school, or any kind of school. I do think that the society is brainwashed by lies, and now it has become a part of life that we must live by, and if not there are consequences that totaly SUCK ASS!!!! I think that we would be alot happier if we were not made to go to school, or any training facility period. I think that also it is wrong to have the records go straight to a database period, because that is what our society's judgment is based on. If they do not go every single day and they are not dieing sick or bedridden sick, then there are consequences. They are being forced to do soemthing that may and may not be for them. If this petition does not work out, then those people should somehow come to america where it still sucks, but not as much as it does there. We have choices. We do have consequences also if we do not go to school, but we are not forced to go to a training school or workplace training. I know easier said than done, but when done you wont have to think about being forced to do something that may and may not be for you.
# 265:
12:57 pm PDT, Oct 8,
Lucasta Bath, United Kingdom
no fair, my cousins and siblings all left at 16 i wanna too
no fair, my cousins and siblings all left at 16 i wanna too
# 264:
8:33 am PDT, Oct 8,
Jonas De coen, Belgium
# 263:
12:18 pm PDT, Oct 7,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
If people want to go to sixth form after GCSEs it's their choice, and they shouldn't be forced into it.
If people want to go to sixth form after GCSEs it's their choice, and they shouldn't be forced into it.
# 262:
8:37 am PDT, Oct 6,
Jacqueline Kwek, Singapore
Totally supporting this! Make sure it's fulfilled :D
Totally supporting this! Make sure it's fulfilled :D
# 260:
10:04 am PDT, Oct 4,
Patrick Needham, Ohio
When i was in school i hated it and making peole stay there longer is just incompentent
When i was in school i hated it and making peole stay there longer is just incompentent
# 259:
12:22 pm PDT, Oct 3,
Mariah Carter, Florida
Increasing the years they have to attend school is just a waste of their time. All it does is force students into memorizing things they will probably forget in the future. Besides, isn't there enough violence in school as it is?
Increasing the years they have to attend school is just a waste of their time. All it does is force students into memorizing things they will probably forget in the future. Besides, isn't there enough violence in school as it is?
# 258:
7:02 pm PDT, Sep 28,
Travis Olson, Texas
# 257:
10:42 pm PDT, Sep 26,
Kyla Mcreynolds, Montana
# 256:
9:39 pm PDT, Sep 23,
Name not displayed, Ohio
# 255:
5:51 am PDT, Sep 19,
Wayne Rooney, United Kingdom
it sux
it sux
# 254:
8:41 am PDT, Sep 17,
Steph Alsop, United Kingdom
# 253:
7:16 pm PDT, Sep 16,
Eric Melton, Virginia
None, but I believe in a right in free speech and freedom of choice.
None, but I believe in a right in free speech and freedom of choice.
# 252:
8:13 am PDT, Sep 16,
Stephanie Molinaro, New York
school is a joke. I learn more sitting home and reading by myself. I dont need an old hag yelling at me telling me I cant go to the bathroom when I'm 17 years old. The career I want is not filling out forms and sitting at a desk all day- which school is!!!
school is a joke. I learn more sitting home and reading by myself. I dont need an old hag yelling at me telling me I cant go to the bathroom when I'm 17 years old. The career I want is not filling out forms and sitting at a desk all day- which school is!!!
# 251:
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5:34 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Punching You, Minnesota
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# 250:
1:27 pm PDT, Sep 15,
Da Da, Puerto Rico
school sucks
school sucks
# 248:
6:11 pm PDT, Sep 10,
Victoria Pedigo, Texas
that's stupid! at 16 we're old enough to leave school
that's stupid! at 16 we're old enough to leave school
# 247:
5:03 pm PDT, Sep 9,
Deanna Chau, Virginia
# 246:
6:59 pm PDT, Sep 6,
Name not displayed, Pennsylvania
# 245:
2:29 pm PDT, Sep 6,
Name not displayed, Virginia
school is an evil thing. it brainwashes kids, promotes sex, violence, and gangs, dictates the thinking and actions of the kids, and (with the help of the goverment) takes away the rights of children. that sucks.
school is an evil thing. it brainwashes kids, promotes sex, violence, and gangs, dictates the thinking and actions of the kids, and (with the help of the goverment) takes away the rights of children. that sucks.
# 244:
7:00 pm PDT, Sep 5,
Dmitriy Yaroslavskiy, New York
# 243:
7:17 pm PDT, Sep 4,
Michael Norton, Virginia
I disagree with forced education wholeheartedly. I don't even think there should BE a minimum age to leave school. People need to live their lives as they choose. But the government doesn't seem to think children should!
I disagree with forced education wholeheartedly. I don't even think there should BE a minimum age to leave school. People need to live their lives as they choose. But the government doesn't seem to think children should!
# 242:
10:16 am PDT, Sep 4,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
By forceing children to school won't make them learn. They will only learn when they want to, not by force.
By forceing children to school won't make them learn. They will only learn when they want to, not by force.
# 241:
6:40 am PDT, Sep 4,
Name not displayed, Lithuania
# 240:
7:17 am PDT, Sep 2,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
i don't agree with this i belive that once your sixteen you can leave school and go for employment.
i don't agree with this i belive that once your sixteen you can leave school and go for employment.
# 239:
10:51 pm PDT, Sep 1,
Greg Brown, Canada
# 238:
8:22 am PDT, Sep 1,
Madeleine Bird, Colorado
# 237:
7:42 pm PDT, Aug 30,
Katarina Brown, Wisconsin
WHAT? This is ridiculous. There is no reason to raise the leaving age except that the people responsible are power-hungry.
WHAT? This is ridiculous. There is no reason to raise the leaving age except that the people responsible are power-hungry.
# 236:
4:53 am PDT, Aug 28,
Name not displayed, Romania
I hate school they even give you homework in weekends then wy are they named weekends ???
I hate school they even give you homework in weekends then wy are they named weekends ???
# 235:
1:24 am PDT, Aug 28,
K.H. Kim, Japan
Forced school stinks. There are other, better ways of getting education and some kids don"t learn well/fare well at conventional systems of schooling. Kids should be able to choose- their life, their decisions. nuff said.
Forced school stinks. There are other, better ways of getting education and some kids don"t learn well/fare well at conventional systems of schooling. Kids should be able to choose- their life, their decisions. nuff said.
# 234:
2:38 pm PDT, Aug 25,
Rachel Noll, Missouri
# 232:
5:21 am PDT, Aug 25,
Michaela Brown, United Kingdom
# 231:
8:22 am PDT, Aug 19,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
# 230:
7:33 am PDT, Aug 19,
Harry Hall, United Kingdom
# 229:
3:25 pm PDT, Aug 16,
Zoe Sorrell, United Kingdom
I hate the idea of a forced education as it is. I preffer to be able to choose.
I hate the idea of a forced education as it is. I preffer to be able to choose.
# 228:
2:01 pm PDT, Aug 14,
Gabbi Adkins, Kentucky
Nobody needs an extra 2 years of torture.
Nobody needs an extra 2 years of torture.
# 227:
9:02 pm PDT, Aug 10,
Jake Talley, Oklahoma
# 226:
8:12 am PDT, Aug 7,
Name not displayed, Taiwan
# 225:
8:05 pm PDT, Aug 6,
Kathleen Jabba, Australia
School feels bad at the time but once its all over you'll want to go back
School feels bad at the time but once its all over you'll want to go back
# 224:
11:03 am PDT, Aug 6,
Jakub Swiatek, Canada
16 years is high enough. If anything, they should be LOWERING the leaving age.
16 years is high enough. If anything, they should be LOWERING the leaving age.
# 223:
11:04 am PDT, Aug 5,
Andi Alnwick, New York
# 222:
2:04 pm PDT, Jul 23,
Molly Anderson, California
# 221:
8:29 pm PDT, Jul 21,
Violet Callis, Michigan
# 220:
10:03 pm PDT, Jul 19,
Stephanie Stevens, Oregon
# 219:
6:51 am PDT, Jul 18,
Nikki Jones, United Kingdom
I think it is a good idea that youths get to begin making decisions at 16. Some are just ready and some are just not academically minded - it is not fair to keep youths in an academically minded world when they would learn more and gain more from other skills within the world.
I think it is a good idea that youths get to begin making decisions at 16. Some are just ready and some are just not academically minded - it is not fair to keep youths in an academically minded world when they would learn more and gain more from other skills within the world.
# 218:
8:56 pm PDT, Jul 16,
Name not displayed, India
# 217:
4:22 pm PDT, Jul 9,
Catherine Brown, Australia
I was born with cleft lip and palate and school was a torment for me (bullying - resulting in severe anxiety and a total inability to learn, even though I had been assessed as having a high IQ at one stage). I left my schooling knowing NOTHING of value, except a disdain for the system and everyone in it. Teachers did nothing to assist me, they were too concerned with sucking up to the children they liked. This was the 70s where 'progressive' education was around. A person who is now a very famous author was one of my teachers, and s/he was just like all the rest. School can destroy souls and children's parents should be given the choice to remove them from these poisonous environments.
I was born with cleft lip and palate and school was a torment for me (bullying - resulting in severe anxiety and a total inability to learn, even though I had been assessed as having a high IQ at one stage). I left my schooling knowing NOTHING of value, except a disdain for the system and everyone in it. Teachers did nothing to assist me, they were too concerned with sucking up to the children they liked. This was the 70s where 'progressive' education was around. A person who is now a very famous author was one of my teachers, and s/he was just like all the rest. School can destroy souls and children's parents should be given the choice to remove them from these poisonous environments.
# 216:
3:36 pm PDT, Jul 5,
Name not displayed, Nicaragua
# 215:
3:12 pm PDT, Jun 29,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
No point to this. If you are forced to stay at school longer you won't be bothered to learn thus wasting two years of your life. Give people the opportunity to go and earn some cash and start their lives.
No point to this. If you are forced to stay at school longer you won't be bothered to learn thus wasting two years of your life. Give people the opportunity to go and earn some cash and start their lives.
# 214:
5:39 am PDT, Jun 25,
Ben Chalk, United Kingdom
Please dont bother. itll just make me hate school even more
Please dont bother. itll just make me hate school even more
# 213:
1:00 pm PDT, Jun 24,
James O'Conner, Ireland
plese don't
plese don't
# 212:
11:12 pm PDT, Jun 18,
Name not displayed, Australia
Don't do it! I feel the need of letting us have the choice to either continue in school or give up on it. Its OUR dicision WE have to make not YOU!
Don't do it! I feel the need of letting us have the choice to either continue in school or give up on it. Its OUR dicision WE have to make not YOU!
# 211:
8:47 am PDT, Jun 18,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
This is rediculous. Next they'll want to increase it to 24!
This is rediculous. Next they'll want to increase it to 24!
# 210:
5:53 am PDT, Jun 18,
Linda Beal, United Kingdom
# 209:
4:55 pm PDT, Jun 17,
Rory Kelly, Australia
Comment:
Comment:
# 208:
7:14 am PDT, Jun 17,
Gregory Bridgman, South Africa
God help us...why does it take so long to realize, school is not the be all and end all of intellectual advancement. In my mind it demonstrates one of the greatest fundamental iniquities inherent to the human condition...action bereft of logical design or purpose, mindless obedience...god help us.
God help us...why does it take so long to realize, school is not the be all and end all of intellectual advancement. In my mind it demonstrates one of the greatest fundamental iniquities inherent to the human condition...action bereft of logical design or purpose, mindless obedience...god help us.
# 207:
3:32 pm PDT, Jun 16,
Trevor Barker, North Carolina
# 206:
2:43 pm PDT, Jun 5,
Name not displayed, North Carolina
"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." - Albert Einstein. Don't kill these people's freedoms and their innate curiosity.
"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." - Albert Einstein. Don't kill these people's freedoms and their innate curiosity.
# 205:
9:58 am PDT, Jun 5,
Name not displayed, Mongolia
This is horrible! What about our time to experience life for ourselves? We won't live forever! 10 years is already 1/5-8 of our life. And that is only the basic schooling. Think about junior and senior years, college, the university. For the best of education you come out when you're about 30. That's already 3/5-8 of our life. The world needs more contributions from individuals to make it a better place, so why keep us in school when we can go out and hand some help?
This is horrible! What about our time to experience life for ourselves? We won't live forever! 10 years is already 1/5-8 of our life. And that is only the basic schooling. Think about junior and senior years, college, the university. For the best of education you come out when you're about 30. That's already 3/5-8 of our life. The world needs more contributions from individuals to make it a better place, so why keep us in school when we can go out and hand some help?
# 204:
11:21 pm PDT, Jun 4,
Name not displayed, New Jersey
# 203:
9:58 am PDT, Jun 4,
Name not displayed, United Kingdom
the school leaving age is already high enough, it should be the 16 year olds descision after that age.
the school leaving age is already high enough, it should be the 16 year olds descision after that age.
# 202:
12:59 pm PDT, Jun 2,
Christian Owens, United Kingdom
This is discussing! It's taking away more of kids rights. GIVE THEM A CHOICE, BACK OFF GOVERNMENT!
This is discussing! It's taking away more of kids rights. GIVE THEM A CHOICE, BACK OFF GOVERNMENT!
# 201:
10:33 am PDT, Jun 2,
Trycia Lynch, Pennsylvania
YEAH!!! I DON'T WANT IT!!!! IT WOULD BE BAD!!!!!!!
YEAH!!! I DON'T WANT IT!!!! IT WOULD BE BAD!!!!!!!
