Gypsy girls leaving school early, unable to read or write

[dave50]

On the program on TV last night about the gipsy girls being taught dress making, we were told that a lot of them were unable to read or write because they left school at the age of around 12 years old. I thought it was a legal obligation in this country to send your children to school until they are 16, so how do these people get away with it without being prosecuted?

[ummmm]

Many educated women are home makers and mothers.

[cathfromsaron]

surely you still need good reading skills and an education to be a good housewife and mother!

budgeting and first aid, reading the baby food packs, medicines etc ... ?

[B00]

I didn't say they weren't- i said you didn't need education to stay and clean a caravan and produce children. If you do have one- excellent!

[boxtops]

It seemed to me that helping your girls to learn academic skills might give them ideas above their expected station in life.

[bazwillrun]

no surprise really, just another example of how laws are "overlooked" to suit an ethnic minority group

[dave50]

So it seems that as usual in this country, if you are part of a so called minority group, you will get special treatment and can ignore any laws you don't like, that the rest of us have to abide by.

[ummmm]

Would you be happy for your local authority to spend vast amounts of money trying to find these people of no fixed abode?

[Tilly2]

The L.A. don't spend vast amounts of money trying to find people. In my LA we have one member of the Ethnic Minorities team who has responsibility for Traveller Education. Poor chap, he's run ragged.

[Charity]

Travellers and Gypsies are not the same ethnic group.
The only Gypsies who have appeared in the television series have married into Irish traveller families.

[Charity]

Are all English people like the ones featured on TOWIE?

[Tilly2]

Charity, you're right. I should have said Gypsy and Traveller Education. G and T

[Charity]

Apologies - not a dig at you Tilly.
Just tired of peoples hostility and ignorance - they wouldn't say it to my face.