Reply to Why are the field trips so underwhelming?

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Reply to "Why are the field trips so underwhelming?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Appropriated funds cannot be used for field trips. This means parents have to fund buses and any entrance fees. Or there have to be fundraisers and/or PTA subsidies. There are some grant funded trips such as all the fourth graders going to the Kennedy Center and all sixth graders going to the Portrait Gallery.

Different grade levels at different schools go on different trips that are connected to the curriculum. Our 4th grade visits Jamestown and 6th grade goes to Gettysburg. First grade studies animals and visits the National Zoo. [/quote]

My kid's elementary doesn’t do Jamestown anymore. They went to Luray Caverns, which returned an hour after school got out. My kid is really into history so I was telling my kid that some schools do still go there for a field trip. My kid said the teacher said they can't go anymore because Jamestown has a gift shop. What?![/quote]

I thought that fcps dropped Jamestown and a lot of other cool historical fieldtrips when the school board decided the district was anti founding fathers and anti colonialism.

They used to do cool field trips like Jamestown and Richmond to see statuary row, the Virginia history museum, and the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech.  But those field trips preesented the founding fathers and early settlers in a positive light, which doesn't align with fcps values, so they were nixed.[/quote]

Where did you hear that? The school board never made such a decision and those trips have never been district-wide. Individual schools and grade level teams decide which trips they are going to take. [/quote]

PP is making things up. My DC went to Jamestown 2 years ago. It was probably $80 per kid to pay for a tour bus, so I can see why all schools don’t do it. [/quote]

Oh yes, they’re totally making things up. I went with my 4th grader to Jamestown a few months ago, like in May 2025. It’s amazing how people post gossip and rumors as facts.  [/quote]

It sounds like the schools with wealthy PTAs or good principals still go, but the other ones have been allowed to quietly cancel and avoid the hassle.[/quote]

Judging from experience in a different district there needs to be parental pressure for the trips, that’s why poor schools get the short end of the stick. They have the funds just not political will or manpower to organize one [/quote]

I think most parents just expect the schools to organize field trips as part of the curriculum and don't realize they are somehow (?) supposed to agitate for what used to be a normal part of the school experience. [/quote]
Agree. It would never occur to me that I, a parent, am supposed to lobby for field trips. [/quote]

Well now you know. You can choose to pout about it or take the matter into your own hands [/quote]

If you are so keen on field trips, why don't you take your child yourself?

Believe me, they are not that valuable.[/quote]

When my child was in elementary he didn’t want to go anywhere with me, for reasons unknown. He was much more amenable if his classmates were going as well. 
Also I wanted poorer kids to see something they wouldn’t with their parents.
That’s why I organized field trips.
Yes it’s pain in the neck for teachers but sometimes one has to inconvenience people to get what is needed. [/quote]

DP. Wouldn’t it have been better to “inconvenience” your son and make him go places with you?

Instead, you’re going to inconvenience teachers who are already providing far more than their contracts require? I’m blown away by how casually you say it’s okay to inconvenience people to get what you want.[/quote]

Oh trust me I did inconvenience my kid plenty by making him go. 
It would be nice to get something useful out of the system for a change. I was willing to organize the trip and there were plenty of parents willing to chaperone so I didn’t just dump it all on the poor teacher. Yes she had to do some extra work but sometimes you have to fight for what your kid needs. Just ask the SN board parents. [/quote]

Your child doesn’t “need” a field trip.

- a special needs parent and teacher who takes her own children on trips, not relying on the school system to do it for me [/quote]

My child also doesn’t need all the tests, should I opt them out and screw your stats? [/quote]

I’m the PP.

Be my guest. I actually agree that your child doesn’t need all the tests. Opt out! [/quote]

Yes but who are you to agree? You know the teachers and admin are doing what they can for the good kids to participate in testing right? Because stats? They don’t advertise opt out posssibilities. 
It’s a take a little give a little situation.
If you need my child to be tested then do plan a simple trip or two. I am happy to organize it, too. [/quote]

Such an odd post.

So you’re holding your kid’s testing score hostage? I need to plan “a trip or two” in order for your child to be tested?

So it’s true: you want schools to cater directly to you.

Try homeschooling. You’ll get all the field trips you want with none of the testing. Seems like that fits you perfectly, correct? [/quote]

This. “Problem” solved.[/quote]

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