You can't stop in on your child's field trip?

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately due to my work schedule I can't take the whole day off from work to help chaperone my daughters field trip next week, so I was thinking about stopping in since the field trip is downtown and my job is downtown. I have no intention of separating my daughter from the chaperone/group she is assigned by the school and was just planning tagging along. When I casually mentioned this to another mom she told me that our school has a very strict policy on this and the teachers will ask you to leave if you show up without being an official chaperone. I checked with the front office of our school and it turns out the mom was right...but can the school really enforce this? It's a museum which is open to the public. Also, wouldn't the teachers/chaperone's appreciate an extra set of eyes for a bit?

You sound very entitled.

[Anonymous]

I admit I have showed up for field trips without being an official chaperone in the past. At our school in FCPS, teachers give priority to PTA moms and its hard to get a chaperone spot. I don't always trust the level of supervision by some (not all) of the parent chaperones and there's no way that the teacher can possibly watch all the kids at the same time at a busy venue, especially when they try and complete a scavenger hunt activity which requires all the kids to split up throughout the museum. It's either not allow my child to attend or show up, and so far I have been welcomed by the parent chaperones that were there. I'm not sure how I would feel about being told I could not go to the museum or asked to leave, but I think if I was faced with that situation I would take offense to it.

[Anonymous]

I agree with 15:35...I've done this before too and so far no one has said a word to me. Seems like a big deal out of nothing. Does anyone REALLY care if OP stops by?

[Anonymous]

If you're not a selected chaperone, stay at work. You've been warned twice already. Seems odd that you are still pushing the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately due to my work schedule I can't take the whole day off from work to help chaperone my daughters field trip next week, so I was thinking about stopping in since the field trip is downtown and my job is downtown. I have no intention of separating my daughter from the chaperone/group she is assigned by the school and was just planning tagging along. When I casually mentioned this to another mom she told me that our school has a very strict policy on this and the teachers will ask you to leave if you show up without being an official chaperone. I checked with the front office of our school and it turns out the mom was right...but can the school really enforce this? It's a museum which is open to the public. Also, wouldn't the teachers/chaperone's appreciate an extra set of eyes for a bit?

You aren't going as a random person, you plan to tag along. Our school did the same thing. If you weren't signed up you couldn't tag along.

No, the teachers don't want an "extra set of eyes" they haven't planned for.

seriously?

Yes, seriously. Or ours don't. If you aren't a chaperone then please go with your child at another time.

[Anonymous]

While it may be legal, OP, for you to make an appearance next to your child is a public space, there is a reason these rules are in place.

1. If everyone were allowed to do this, the field trip could be quite disrupted! Remember, chaperones are briefed on what circuit to do and what time to meet where, as well as which children to monitor. If parents show up and take attention away from the group leaders (teachers and chaperones), a child may end up lost.

2. In MCPS and other school districts, parents need to complete volunteer training (which mainly has to do with sexual abuse) before chaperoning. For overnight trips, parents need to have a background check complete with fingerprints! Do you know what your school requires? School systems don't want non-trained parents hanging around kids.

Bottom line: it's not about YOU and YOUR situation. It's a group issue. They can't bend the rules just for you.

[Anonymous]

I have done this when my DD has field trips at the museums downtown. Usually it is 1 parent for 4 kids and the kids all split up and wander around with the chaperone other parent is thrilled to have an extra set of eyes for a couple of hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're not a selected chaperone, stay at work. You've been warned twice already. Seems odd that you are still pushing the issue.

Yes this!!

Another parent told you. The school’s office told you. Do you really have to crowd source DCUM for a third opinion?

[Anonymous]

If I were you and I’d already asked school staff and been told no, then I definitely wouldn’t do it, but I’ll be honest, once or twice when I was chaperoning field trips at museums downtown, dh stopped by and said hello to our dd. He didn’t have contact with the other kids. He didn’t disrupt the field trip; he had no say in where we went or what we saw. It never occurred to us to ask anyone. I seriously doubt he would have tried that if his own wife hadn’t been the chaperone, though.

[Anonymous]

Its weird and disruptive, OP. Don’t do it. If you want to go suck it up and be a chaperone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're not a selected chaperone, stay at work. You've been warned twice already. Seems odd that you are still pushing the issue.

Yes this!!

Another parent told you. The school’s office told you. Do you really have to crowd source DCUM for a third opinion?

+1

Sorry, OP. You already have your answer. You just don’t like it.

[Anonymous]

Disruptive


Signed,
Teacher and parent

[Anonymous]

I have done this myself at least a dozen times over the years. I never felt like it upset anyone but now I'm thinking it must have. I guess I'll be signing up to chaperone more often!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Pp here, I've been a chaperone with an unplanned extra showing up. Teacher quietly mentioned that the person wasn't part of the group and someone from the venue steered them away from the kids.

Op, most schools have a plan in place so they know who is around the kids. If you aren't on their list don't hang around.

This.
Remember, the school is doing this for the safety of YOUR child, as well as all the other children. Don't be that parent.

This.

In our school/state you have to submit to a criminal background check before going on a field trip. No paperwork in place, then you can’t participate.

Op, it’s not all about you. Burst the bubble you live in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disruptive


Signed,
Teacher and parent

Parents have NO clue! Please don"t do this. You're showing up at somebody's place of work unannounced.