Friends crazy mum wants to take her out of school for a year

mooshoepork

My friend comes to me today seeking advice. Her parents are going to pull her out of year 11 for a year, and send her off travelling so she "won't get caught up in peer pressure", then make her repeat year 11. What can I/she do to make them see that this is an very bad decision? Is this even legal? I live in Australia.

The Cat

She's past school leaving age so it's legal, but I didn't think she'd be able to get back into a normal school. Its fucking retarded unless she's gotten into a really bad crowd, though. Really, depends what state you're in.

mooshoepork

We are in Victoria. She hasn't got into a bad crowd...she goes to an all girls school. Her activities don't really go past drinking though, so it isn't like she's a drug addict.

devoir

I know a number of people who took trips around Australia when they were supposed to do Year 11, then came back all tanned and essentially did the year with the kids they used to look down their nose at.

There has to be more of a reason than just standard peer pressure. Get your friend to talk to someone at the school, they'll have a better idea of what options are appropriate in her particular situation.

The Cat

hmm, didn't realise it was a common thing. never heard of it happening up here, the only older kids I knew were the ones who'd screwed up grade 12 and had to repeat to graduate. A break after HS and before uni is way better.

Blake T

If they are fully convinced with this idea, at the very least try and get her to be pulled out and the end of year 11. That way she only has one year to repeat as opposed to 2 and she isn't throwing the last 7 months of her life away.

If she's dead set against it though it's one of the few times that the government will allow her to claim rent assistance and youth allowance without her parents earnings being taken into account as she would be effectively be estranged from them and would move out. She'd also then have to leave the school as I doubt she would be able to afford a private school's fees on her own.

aesir

Do it in the summer.


Or just tell her to enjoy the awesome experience of an awesome vacation. I'd kill for that shit right now.

The Cat

She'd have to get her parents to sign a consent before estrangement, so no, going on government assistance is probably not an option.

devoir

It's not necessary to get parents' consent if there is sufficient evidence that further reliance on the parents is untenable. I'd explain further but it's a tad personal, if the OP wants more information at a later stage PM me.

Lewisham

Why not go after Year 11?

mooshoepork

I am not entirely sure. They will also be travelling with her, so it defeats the whole purpose anyway. Thanks for the advice, I will pass it on.

Iceman.USAF

Seems like they want to travel and not leave her home alone. That'd be my guess.

Gnome-Interruptus

Ahh, perhaps have her parents work out a deal with you or another friends parents to pay some room&board to let her stay with them while she goes to school.

I did that once while my parents went on a cruise/extended vacation, it went rather well.

Tav

I did Forth Year in my school which is essentially a year off. We did nothing the entire year, and now I'm dumped into Fifth Year with a shitton of work and pressure on me. She should not take a year off, it will be near impossible to get back into any sort of normal routine without adding more pressure onto her.

amateurhour

I'm out of high school, out of college, and in the so called "real world" now, and I have to saw without waiver that what you're describing is single handedly the coolest thing I've ever heard of. High school, or year "x", is complete and utter bullshit. It does a lot in the way of development, but the politics and social structure is nowhere near the same as out there in college or the working world. If my folks wanted to take me out for a year so I could travel the world, or wherever, and I could come back to school with a licence, be older than the other guys in my class, have two years of eligibility left for football (US), and have spend the last year travelling with stories to tell and women to impress, I would give just about anything.

I guess that's just me though.