Alcohol on school trip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a private school teacher who chaperones overnight trips. It’s written into our policy that we cannot drink when we are chaperoning, even when we are “off duty”’ in the evening. The reason for that, I’m guessing, is that we’re never really off duty. What if there’s an emergency at night?

I chaperone less than I used to. Not because I can’t drink. That’s fine. It’s because I have to pay for my own meals, my room, etc. It’s too much of a financial hit for me.

WHAT? That's crazy. I have never heard of such a thing. At my school we get a (modest) stipend for chaperoning overnight trips.

[Anonymous]

I avoid all overnight trips. So much extra work for absolutely no additional pay. In fact, at my school we were just asked to volunteer for EOY trips. I exercised my right to remain silent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a private school teacher who chaperones overnight trips. It’s written into our policy that we cannot drink when we are chaperoning, even when we are “off duty”’ in the evening. The reason for that, I’m guessing, is that we’re never really off duty. What if there’s an emergency at night?

I chaperone less than I used to. Not because I can’t drink. That’s fine. It’s because I have to pay for my own meals, my room, etc. It’s too much of a financial hit for me.

Doesn’t the school pay for your room and food? Isn’t it a school trip?

The school asks for teacher volunteers. Paying for the chaperones means that student prices go up, and we try to keep the trips affordable.

AKA work for free. Unionize.

I'm disgusted by this. Keeping the trips "reasonable" for people who can pay 60k a year on tuition by shifting the cost to people who live on 70k a year? I'd have a fit over this and we are in the former category.

[Anonymous]

Well, we were prohibited from doing this as girl scout chaperones.

If the trip was over, that's fine. But "after hours" when kids could have an emergency, NOT ok.

[Anonymous]

Going back to the OPs question (not whether there should be a rule against drinking on the trip, but whether having a glass of wine is a fireable offense even if there is such a rule):

There are a lot of possible disciplinary steps before firing, and a glass of wine at dinner should be met with any of those steps, not dismissal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a private school teacher who chaperones overnight trips. It’s written into our policy that we cannot drink when we are chaperoning, even when we are “off duty”’ in the evening. The reason for that, I’m guessing, is that we’re never really off duty. What if there’s an emergency at night?

I chaperone less than I used to. Not because I can’t drink. That’s fine. It’s because I have to pay for my own meals, my room, etc. It’s too much of a financial hit for me.

Doesn’t the school pay for your room and food? Isn’t it a school trip?

The school asks for teacher volunteers. Paying for the chaperones means that student prices go up, and we try to keep the trips affordable.

AKA work for free. Unionize.

I'm disgusted by this. Keeping the trips "reasonable" for people who can pay 60k a year on tuition by shifting the cost to people who live on 70k a year? I'd have a fit over this and we are in the former category.

I suspect the schools charging $60,000 per year are not expecting the teacher chaperones to pay their own way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going back to the OPs question (not whether there should be a rule against drinking on the trip, but whether having a glass of wine is a fireable offense even if there is such a rule):

There are a lot of possible disciplinary steps before firing, and a glass of wine at dinner should be met with any of those steps, not dismissal.

Wrong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going back to the OPs question (not whether there should be a rule against drinking on the trip, but whether having a glass of wine is a fireable offense even if there is such a rule):

There are a lot of possible disciplinary steps before firing, and a glass of wine at dinner should be met with any of those steps, not dismissal.

Nope. I am 0% ok with the teachers watching my child on overnight school trips have any alcohol.

My kid and their class actually *did* experience an emergency while on a middle school trip, with a hotel fire at about 1 am. Fortunately very minor, and all guests were let back in within an hour, but I am thankful that the teachers caring for 25 pre-teens full of adrenaline were fully alert. And I’d happily treat them to a bottle of whatever they’d like after they got home, they earned it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going back to the OPs question (not whether there should be a rule against drinking on the trip, but whether having a glass of wine is a fireable offense even if there is such a rule):

There are a lot of possible disciplinary steps before firing, and a glass of wine at dinner should be met with any of those steps, not dismissal.

Do teachers usually have dinner with students?

[Anonymous]

Any teacher drinking on a school trip, regardless if it is after hours is an idiot. And, do we really want idiots teaching at our 40K+ private schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a teacher/chaperone is seen having a glass of wine after hours on a school trip, would they be fired or asked to resign?

There should be some disciplinary action for drinking while on duty and potentially jeopardizing safety of minors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any teacher drinking on a school trip, regardless if it is after hours is an idiot. And, do we really want idiots teaching at our 40K+ private schools?

Or any other school regardless of tuition! If you’re chaperoning and taking care of other kids, you are on call 24/7 for the duration of the trip. Period.
I am happy the school did whatever was necessary to correct this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Any adult willing to take kids overnight should have a glass with dinner, let alone after hours and off duty.
But if you’re the teacher and you’re worried then err on the side of caution and don’t. If you can’t stop at one, then definitely don’t.

+1. An adult chaperone of legal drinking age certainly can have a glass of wine with dinner or when off duty. Being drunk when chaperoning is very different and not acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a teacher/chaperone is seen having a glass of wine after hours on a school trip, would they be fired or asked to resign?

There should be some disciplinary action for drinking while on duty and potentially jeopardizing safety of minors.

Same thing for sleeping aids or anti anxiety meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a teacher/chaperone is seen having a glass of wine after hours on a school trip, would they be fired or asked to resign?

There should be some disciplinary action for drinking while on duty and potentially jeopardizing safety of minors.

Same thing for sleeping aids or anti anxiety meds.

So, just to clarify:

You want teachers to make extreme sacrifices for your child, including leaving their one children for several nights. You want them to work 16-18 hour days. And now you want them to forego things they need for their own health, like anti-anxiety meds?

I get not drinking during a school trip. That’s a reasonable thing to expect.

But trust me: I’m not stopping any prescribed medications for you.

As it stands, these trips only happen because other adults (teachers) sacrifice a TON for your children. You get this ridiculous and you’ll have no volunteers left.