A MUM has been forced to pay a teacher £100 after she was an hour late picking up her child from school.
Kristin Evans, the teacher who pocketed the cash, posted about the misdemeanour on her TikTok, which has divided opinion.
Some schools in the US have started enforcing fines on parents who are late for pick up.
The fee is there to make up for the teachers’ lost time, who have to stay back and mind the children.
At Kristin’s school, it was decided parents would have to pay £1.60 for every minute they were late.
Sitting in her car after the school day finished, the woman explained the predicament to her TikTok followers.
She said: “The director of my school just walked up to me and handed me £100.
“She said it was because one of my half-day students was picked up almost an hour late and we get paid £1.60 a minute for every minute that they’re late.
“So this parent was charged for being late and it goes directly into my pocket.”
The teacher admitted it felt a bit “weird”.
She said: “This late pick up policy is in my new school’s admission agreement.
“This also is not the first or second or third time they’ve been more than 20 minutes late without notice or communication.
“But this was the first time they were charged the late pick up fee.”
The school’s policy has attracted a mixed response on social media.
“I can remember crying because I was stuck in traffic… I couldn’t get to my child’s daycare before it closed or afford the fine and they called police,” a TikTok user said.
“Imagine that mum freaking out, rushing to get there with high anxiety and then you get there and it’s like fork over the money… not a good day for that mum,” one said.
“Yeah I couldn’t morally keep that money I’d have to return it to the parents,” a second said.
Other teachers who watched the video assured those concerned that fining parents for showing up late had become normal practice.
“Ours is £8 the first minute and a pound a minute thereafter… even in an emergency,” a woman said.
“Our daycare is also per child, so you better hope you’re on time and don’t have multiple children enrolled,” another said.
Others flocked to show their support for teachers.
“As a child that had a late parent, make them pay,” one said.
“All the people disagreeing, these teacher’s aren’t paid overtime… would you stay an hour and a half late for free at work,” a second said.