It probably wasn’t a surprise to learn the parents being prosecuted over their kids not going to school didn’t turn up to court.

So the reason the justice wheel turns so slowly is partially because of those sorts of folks.

I doubt any court action will achieve a lot in this specific case. But then you can argue it probably wasn’t supposed to.

Governments prosecuting parents over non-school attendances is a sad, but good, policy at the same time.

Sad because we got to this point. Good because what it will achieve is a chilling effect for those who may not get to court but could have.

The reason they didn’t was because of the test cases we hear of this week.

Like the school phone ban not everyone follows it. It's not bulletproof, but it is effective.

Chilling effects are not to be underestimated.

The light system in Jobseeker is another good example. When there are no consequences for not looking for work, it's amazing how many are happy to take the invitation not to do anything.

Offer them a bit of stick and all of a sudden, the number of people who fail and reach red and get a benefit cut becomes negligible.

Once again, what a tragedy that there seem so many who are happy enough to waste a life.

But the lowest common denominator is in fact quite common, given how many frequent it.

It's doubly sad of course when it comes to kids and school. It's not their fault the parents are wasters and you run the risk the habits are contagious, and the kid carries the wastage on for another generation.

So no, the initial prosecution will involve the worst of the reprobates and, no, it most likely won't make a jot of difference.

But enough people will see it and hear of it, it will be around the school grounds, word will spread, and with that for some anyway, what might have been will be avoided. It may well be that if a handful of kids get to go to school properly, it might eventually benefit us all.

It takes a tough Government to take their people to court over something as fundamental as education. Certainly, previous ones haven't been interested and that is why, in part, we have ended up where we are.

But, potentially, it's also at a point where tough love could pay off.

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Mike's Minute: Parent prosecutions were a deterrent

The Mike Hosking Breakfast