School Board Considers Change in Field Trip Policy

Superintendent Neil Pedersen brought the proposed changes to a work session the board held last Thursday.

The proposed changes include provisions for approval of field trips, which would require permission from the school principal.

Teachers and other chaperones also would be able to opt out of participating in a field trip if they felt their safety could be in danger.

School officials also discussed whether parents will be able to take their children out of any field trips that they are concerned could be dangerous without being penalized.

The new policies would affect only those nonathletic school trips that take students out of the state or country or involve them spending the night away from home.

Board member Teresa Williams detailed the specifics of the proposed changes.

"No staff member will be required to attend any field trip," Williams said. "Written statements will be required from parents for their children to participate. No student will be penalized for not participating.

"Basically, the parents are the final word on whether their children go on a field trip."

Another key point of the proposals is that once parents have paid for a trip, the school might cancel it with no refunds supplied.

"Refunds may or may not be given at such a time that a trip is canceled based on the school's discretion," Williams said.

Although no votes were made at the meeting, Williams and fellow board member Elizabeth Carter spoke favorably of the changes.

"We really have to look at how we do these trips, especially in light of September 11," Carter said.

Williams said the issue had been considered by school officials across the nation. "Most boards across the country and state are looking at their policy," he said. "Many have canceled trips in response to the events of September 11."

Williams said that while no trips have been canceled as of yet, the measures urge principals to take caution when approving a trip.

East Chapel Hill High School Principal David Thaden gave a very positive response to the measures.

East Chapel Hill High normally has five to ten trips a year that would be effected by the new guidelines. That number encompasses between 600 and 700 students who normally participate.

"I am supportive of these measures," Thaden said. "It is our goal to keep our kids safe."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.