A Gold Coast influencer has revealed plans to pull her 12-year-old daughter out of school to concentrate on “work”.
Prominent social media personality Kat Clark, has explained the move is intended to make room for Deja’s budding social media career,
But while stating she’d be home schooled instead, allowing her to also focus on TikTok and influencer-related activities, Clark’s parenting decision has raised serious concerns and sparked a fierce debate.
On the ‘It’s All Her’ podcast with Jordy Lucas, Clark candidly discussed the drastic shift in her family’s lifestyle since her rise to fame.
“Since coming into this new career, there is a lot of travelling involved. I’m often flying to Sydney … so that nine to five, Monday to Friday schooling isn’t working for us,” she explained.
This lifestyle change has led to frequent school absences for Deja, prompting Clark to enrol her in homeschooling starting next year.
The decision, while practical in Clark’s view, has startled many.
Critics have argued that withdrawing a child from formal education at such a formative age for an unstable and highly scrutinised career in social media sets a concerning precedent.
“I get where you’re coming from but just remember that girls all across the world literally die in an attempt to get an education,” one commenter wrote, while another said: “Whatever you decide, just make sure she isn’t being thrown into being an adult too soon. She deserves a childhood.”
Defending her decision, Clark highlighted her family’s flexible approach to education and career paths.
“Deja is in her first year of high school … we actually have enrolled her into homeschooling for next year and we think that’s best for her, just because we don’t want her to miss out on these opportunities,” she shared.
She added that if they find that this is not the right solution for Deja, she would be happy to enrol her back into the schooling system.
“If she gets to year 10, and she says, ‘Actually, Mum, this isn’t something that I enjoy’ we’re going to be able to put her back in traditional schooling,” she said.
However, many of Clark’s loyal fans have backed the decision, stating: “Your a great mum and I’m sure you will do what’s right for Deja. She will grow and thrive anywhere cause she has a great family unit,” one fan wrote.
Another commented “(I) think your (sic) the best mum in the world, letting her follow her dreams but also trying to make sure she has education in her life too.”
Earlier this month when contemplating whether to pull the 12-year-old from traditional schooling, Clark revealed that Deja had already voiced her disdain for school, stating that she is being teased at school “because of who she is”.
“You guys already know Deja hates school, like she’s very smart, but but she does not enjoy it at all,” she said in a TikTok video.
Clark, who did not complete high school herself and was a teen mum, used her eldest daughter, Latisha, as an example of changing career paths.
“For Tisha, for example, she did finish school and she did end up going to uni … And then we started getting into podcasting,” she said.
“And she’s now since dropped out of uni, to kind of follow her dreams,” she said, illustrating a pattern of pursuing dreams over traditional education in her family.
However, Clark insists she isn’t against formal schooling or university education.
“If [Deja] wanted to be a lawyer, a doctor, or a surgeon, then obviously we would encourage her … But currently right now, that’s not what her goals are,” she stated, emphasising her willingness to support her daughters’ choices.