I most admit, when I first saw this I thought it was a spoof article, but sadly it is not, it is a serious proposal from a group advising the government

Schools which fail to teach pupils to read and write should be fined, an independent panel investigating the causes of last year’s riots has said.

The full article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hO-DbixQoy6MKhw9t8mj1ldQmpJw?docId=N0134871332854262529A

Response from Schools and Teachers has been derisive, few have seriously engaged with the idea, as it seems so ridiculous; after all only a small number of the rioters were school children. I I feel this is a mistake, as the current administrations seem to specialise in the ridiculous, especially Mr Grove. Thus the worry is that the panel’s ridiculous ideas will be taken seriously by those in power.

 

I would like to direct you to a response from the Great John Clare: http://j-cduncan.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/answer-is-not-to-fine-schools.html