An influential family has been fined after taking some of their children out of school to travel to Disney World earlier this year.
Christmas i Sue Radford made the trek in Orlando, Florida in April. The couple shared a series of photos of your tripwhich included meeting characters, watching the parade and trying the themed cuisine.
Months later, local point LancsLive reported that the family was fined because their children did not attend school regularly between March 24 and May 1. Preston Magistrates’ Court charged £65, about $84, per child and £118, about $155, to cover court costs, the court heard.
The fine comes a year after the UK Department for Education created the policy for parents who drop their children out of school, noting that good attendance equates to greater overall well-being and academic performance.
Karissa Collins and her husband Mandrae Collins have been showcasing the everyday life of their large family since they rose to fame via YouTube in 2017. “Why do we have 11 kids?” Karissa captioned an Instagram post from December 2024, which appeared to answer questions about her family life. “I grew up not being a fan of children. I never wanted (…)
“There are only a few occasions when a child can miss school, such as illness or when the school has given permission for exceptional circumstances,” the department wrote in 2024. “However, if your child misses school without a good reason, councils and schools can step in and you can be fined.”
Parents can receive legal advice and school fans, as well as parenting orders, educational supervision orders or school attendance orders.
“Ensuring young people get a good education and a good start in life is one of our key priorities,” said a spokesman for Lancashire County Council. LancsLive. “Evidence shows that achievement is linked to attendance, so it’s important to support our schools with this issue.”
The statement continued: “The decision to authorize the absence rests with the headteacher of the individual school and penalty notices are an enforcement option available to local authorities, if schools apply. It is for the court to determine whether a fine should be issued.”
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The message noted that attendance laws are “very clear,” adding that there are “some legitimate reasons why students may not always be able to attend school.”
“We always encourage schools to work closely with parents to reduce unauthorized absences and our aim is to ensure that children and young people attend school and receive a good education,” the statement concluded.
The Radford family rose to online fame with a 2012 UK docuseries 15 kids and counting. Noel and Sue announced it in 2024 22 kids and counting would return to the screen that year.
The couple shares 22 children with ages between 5 and 36 years as well as 13 grandchildren. In an August clip from her series, Sue explained that her marriage to Noel is “very simple” because they don’t share children with any other partner.
“I can’t even imagine, if we break up and you’re in a new relationship and you say to your new partner, ‘Oh, is it okay if my kids come?’… We stay with each other, don’t we? We have too much baggage,” Noel said Instagram video as Sue laughed.