$53 for field trip

[gaelic grace]

My daughter recently went on a field trip that cost $35 ( private school) but before the trip a parent paid for the entire trip. I wish that they would have donated the same trip to a local public school that may not be able to afford that trip but they didn't. I understand the cost of the charter bus. My husband is a school administrator and all the insurance in the world doesn't stop you from the stress of being sued in an accident even if the insurance pays out like it should. In today's society I'm just not sure it's worth the risk. My sister teaches in a local public school and everyone goes on field trips. They charge a little more than necessary to try and cover the children they know may not be able to pay. The teachers or the PTO covers the rest. Trips are expensive but kids need the experience of going especially kids who may not have any other opportunity to go. There are definitely people who can't afford to go but their are also situations where people choose to not be able to afford something. For example if you are going to Disney this year ( or insert any other unnecessary item) you can afford to go on the field trip but you are choosing not to in order to do something else. That's your choice or in many families may be a family decision to give up certain things in order for the family to be able to do something else. Those decisions shouldn't keep other children from being able to do something. I believer that there are people who can't afford $9 or whatever the amount is for a field trip but I do think that many people can make different decisions. My husband grew up in a family where they sometimes couldn't "afford" various things. Not going may have been character building in some respects but what he really remembers is the things that they spent money on that they didn't have to have. Children are expensive:field trips, school parties, proms, drivers ed, graduation supplies and so on are part of childhood they have to be budgeted like anything else. If there is a life changing event that causes you to need assistance you take it and when things are better in your life you return the favor. My husband and I have both worked in public education and have never been part of a school that wouldn't help provide assistance if someone asked. The only exception would be a week long trip to DC over Spring Break that many kids didn't participate in cost being only one of the reasons.

 

[gaelic grace]

My daughter recently went on a field trip that cost $35 ( private school) but before the trip a parent paid for the entire trip. I wish that they would have donated the same trip to a local public school that may not be able to afford that trip but they didn't. I understand the cost of the charter bus. My husband is a school administrator and all the insurance in the world doesn't stop you from the stress of being sued in an accident even if the insurance pays out like it should. In today's society I'm just not sure it's worth the risk.
My sister teaches in a local public school and everyone goes on field trips. They charge a little more than necessary to try and cover the children they know may not be able to pay. The teachers or the PTO covers the rest. Trips are expensive but kids need the experience of going especially kids who may not have any other opportunity to go. There are definitely people who can't afford to go but their are also situations where people choose to not be able to afford something. For example if you are going to Disney this year ( or insert any other unnecessary item) you can afford to go on the field trip but you are choosing not to in order to do something else. That's your choice or in many families it may be a family decision to give up certain things in order for the family to be able to do something else. Those decisions shouldn't keep other children from being able to do something.
I believer that there are people who can't afford $9 or whatever the amount is for a field trip but I do think that many people can make different decisions. My husband grew up in a family where they sometimes couldn't "afford" various things. Not going may have been character building in some respects but what he really remembers is the things that they spent money on that they didn't have to have. Children are expensive:field trips, school parties, proms, drivers ed, graduation supplies and so on are part of childhood they have to be budgeted like anything else. If there is a life changing event that causes you to need assistance you take it and when things are better in your life you return the favor. My husband and I have both worked in public education and have never been part of a school that wouldn't help provide assistance if someone asked. The only exception would be a week long trip to DC over Spring Break that many kids didn't participate in cost being only one of the reasons.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

Gas cost alot more now than when your other child went.

But, think about it $30 more per kid for gas, no that can't be the reason. I think the price is outrageous!!!

 

[kyhardy]

Our 3rd grade daughter attends a private school and just went on a field trip 2hrs away from our home. A charter bus was rented and the cost for her to go was $32. Not counting lunch & gift shop $. This has been the most expensive trip they have taken so far. Her Grandparents happen to live in the town they visited and met her for her trip so I didn't go along this time saving the $32 it would have cost for me to attend. I just worry about what the costs will be in a few years when they are going on the bigger field trips to Space Camp, Washington DC, Colorado & France! They start theses trips in 5th grade! My opinion is that they need to change the year end trip for all grades 5-8th to a Disney trip. Now that would be a trip worth every penny!

 

[shortbun]

My son's teacher wrote a grant for $3500 this year and they have taken some major field trips-no charge to the children. Today, she's walking them to the library and then to 7-11 for ice cream to celebrate testing being over. She did ask the parents to ante up for ice cream money. It's the first time she's asked for anything this year. I think $53 for a field trip to COSI is a lot. There are several films that cost extra but I can't imagine them seeing more than one AND seeing the rest of COSI. Diesel fuel is horribly expensive so the majority of the cost is probably transportation.

 

[Heluvsme]

We paid $25 for a COSI field trip last year, we're in Northern Kentucky and it's just 2 hours north of us.


But, I can top that! This year, the 5th graders are going to Williamsburg, VA for a 4 day field trip. I'm chaperoning. For the 2 of us to go----$1,090.00 Yep, over $1000 bucks!! I could've choked! But...in all fairness, we've known since Kindergarten that the 5th graders go to Williamsburg, guess the smart thing to do would've been to start socking it away early, LOL!!!

 

[ncbyrne]

I'm Grandma to 6. I'm shocked at the "free" public school costs all around! Not only do you have to pay ridiculously high prices for the trip fee, but the pre-trip fund raisers are out of control as well! My DGDs last class trip was $280 for a one night overnight. But my DD must have shelled out over $100 for the 3 fund raisers ahead of the trip! I don't get it....

 

[keishashadow]

my DS is participating in a field trip (Academic Games National Competition in Orlando); he leaves tomorrow for 7 nights via coach bus, driving straight thru

school is paying for the bus - only

my costs:

hotel, some food & admission to KSC (glad has a Universal AP) $500

spending money, including 10 meals, etc. $300-$400

he did do some fund raising and earned approx $150 off the overall cost & we did have months to save for it, happy we were able to swing it.

Feel bad for the parents of the kids who are going on both this trip and went on the band trip to MCO last week

FYI, @ the elementary level we raised all funds for the field trips (including bus transportation)...no child was ever unable to attend because of cost

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

I'm sorry, but the bottom line here is that kids cost money......LOTS OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their field trips, summer camps, sports, and other activities COST MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I refuse to not allow my kids to do activities and experience life enriching field trips and sports because of money. I was always allowed to do these things and my mother was a single mother who worked her butt off so that she could pay for those things. I think that these things teach kids social skills, team building skills, and many other things that can help them through life. Just my opinion...

 

[meandtheguys2]

I'm sorry, but the bottom line here is that kids cost money......LOTS OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their field trips, summer camps, sports, and other activities COST MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I refuse to not allow my kids to do activities and experience life enriching field trips and sports because of money. I was always allowed to do these things and my mother was a single mother who worked her butt off so that she could pay for those things. I think that these things teach kids social skills, team building skills, and many other things that can help them through life. Just my opinion...

Kids can learn all of those things without that stuff. To think differently is seriously short sighted. Life experiences can be found in volunteer work, family travel, scouts, playing pick-up ball, etc. People are spoiled with being overly entertained. There is nothing wrong, and plenty right with down time.

Kids are overly stimulated and overly stressed, and those two are causally related. Sure a week at camp, or a trip to Cosi is fun. But most kids that live around cosi have been before, and will have the opportunity to go again. It isn't "once in a lifetime" lifechanging event. And, I'd never spend that kind of money for that kind of trip. Heck, a family membership is $80! Then you could go anytime you wanted. And family time is proven to be a benefit to all children. Field trips and camp...not so much.

 

[daughtersrus]

I just sent DD (18) to school with $85 CASH this morning. $75 is for a senior dinner cruise on The Odyssey and $10 is for a swimming at our local park district pool. I hate the idea of her having that much cash with her (even at her age) but the school wouldn't allow checks. I'm sure because they want to make sure that they don't bounce. Both of these are optional so I'm not complaining about the cost.

I am a bit worried though about the dinner trip. If they don't get 400 people, the cruise will be open to the public. DH and I went on the Odyssey several years ago for a work related function. It wasn't open to the public but the alcohol was flowing freely. I'm trying to get a hold of someone at the Odyssey and have left a message with the school to see how the alcohol issue will be addressed. My DD doesn't drink (we've had long talks about this so I'm pretty sure that she will be fine) but I'm worried that there may be strangers there that are drinking.

Sorry to go off on a tangent of my own

As for the OP, we've had many expensive trips through out the years. Some were overnight while others required coach buses. My youngest DD is in a self-contained special ed class. When she was in our district, we were getting field trip forms literally every week for "community trips". Finally as a group, the parents put their foot down. We were sending money for bowling every other week, swimming the weeks that they didn't bowl, lunch at a local fast food restaurant, shopping at the mall... When you have a child with special needs, there are so many other expenses that you are putting out money for, the $10 here and $20 there for these trips adds up quick!

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