Parents driving students for field trips-UPDATE pg 6

[verleniahall]

I'm struck by the fact that it's a bowling field trip.
That seems like a stretch to make it legitimately educational. I wonder if that's part of the problem.
Maybe this didn't pass approval at the district level for a "real" educational field trip, and that's why they don't have the buses, and instead of cancelling they're trying to sort of make it happen under the radar.
That would stress me out.

End of the school year = fun trip

Our School Sponsored Senior Skip Day as to an arcade and putt putt golf

I have ever heard of that before. At least they have the secretaries right there so you don't have to track a Notary down yourself.

Bank Presidents are also note riser so it’s easy to find one

 

[Hikergirl]

End of the school year = fun trip
O
Our School Sponsored Senior Skip Day as to an arcade and putt putt golf




Bank Presidents are also note riser so it’s easy to find one

It is still an inconvenience for a parent to have to run to the bank so they can sign a permission slip.

 

[Hopscotch]

Just curious? If your child was invited on a play date where the kids were going to be picked up from school, would you ask the parent for a copy of their insurance and driving record? Maybe run a quick CORI check on them too?

Also, just because you know a parent well, it doesn’t mean you know how they drive. I have two close friends who are great moms, wonderful people, but sometimes I fear for my life when I drive with them. One loves to speed and the other one is just a bad driver. I usually just offer to drive when we go out, especially when the kids are coming.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

You have to have it notarized? Is that normal for the forms that come home?

For bands that travel yes. Permission to treat forms need to be notarized.

 

[Suger Mag]

I would have no problem with parents driving a field trip... done it myself many times, as a parent driver and as a passenger. Here in Mass you cannot have a car without insurance, and a CORI would satisfy my needs. Now it is moot, as now my kids are driving themselves, but give me an actual car with air bags and seat belts over a school bus any day... as far as safety goes those kids are like loose eggs if anything goes wrong in a typical school bus, even just a simple bump can send kids flying s and injured.

 

[Hikergirl]

I see alot of posters bringing up having proof of insurance. I'm not really sure what that tells you about someone's driving record, in my state you are required to have insurance. That doesn't ensure you are a safe driver, it just ensures that damages will be paid when you aren't.

 

[SouloTravlr]

For bands that travel yes. Permission to treat forms need to be notarized.

My child went on a band bus trip to FL and there was no need for notarizing forms. Our signature was all they needed.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Are there states that don’t require auto insurance? Never knew that.

Yet still, I agree that it’s no guarantee of anyone being a safe driver, regardless of whether it’s a friend, or a classmate’s parent you don’t know well or at all.

Incidentally, here in NY, the state has required that school buses have seat belts, going back at least to the early 90’s. I’ve been on a bus as a chaperone for field trips, and the teachers made sure all the kids were buckled up. From what I’ve heard, the older kids (MS and HS) don’t always wear them, but many do, simply because it’s more comfortable than sitting on them. (They are lap belts only, like on an airplane.)

 

[kamik86]

I don't have kids but just found the start of this interesting...

One thing I find interesting is how different things were years ago... I went on a few field trips for the alter servers at my church. The older kids (myself being one of them the last few) were actually able to volunteer to chaprone groups of younger kids (they didn't have to a few of the older boys that wanted to do the most daring things over and over didn't) there were also adult chaperones but we were split into much much smaller groups. So I had 4 10 year olds I was watching at 14... in the water park.

Now all the adults that let me do this knew me well but I didn't know half of the kids parents I barely even knew a few of the kids (it was a combined trip for all the churches in the area so I knew a few that were from my church but not a couple of the others) the kids chose groups based on what they wanted to do (my group was the one for people that were skipping coasters and wanted to spent most of teh day in the water park)

Closest thing to an emergency on this was that one time I went down a slide with one of the youngest girls. She wasn't even a server but her older sibling was and her dad led the choir. I knew the family well. The girl wasn't tall enough to reach bottom on water slides and she fell off the raft at the bottom. I had to grab her and pull her up. She was fine 3 minutes later.

 

[Hikergirl]

Just curious? If your child was invited on a play date where the kids were going to be picked up from school, would you ask the parent for a copy of their insurance and driving record? Maybe run a quick CORI check on them too?

Also, just because you know a parent well, it doesn’t mean you know how they drive. I have two close friends who are great moms, wonderful people, but sometimes I fear for my life when I drive with them. One loves to speed and the other one is just a bad driver. I usually just offer to drive when we go out, especially when the kids are coming.

I'm not sure if this was directed to the OP or a general question to anyone, but I will answer.
If my young child was invited on a play date, without me being there then I would have to know the parent. In that case, if I trusted my child to be in your care at your home then I would trust my child in your care in the car.
I do agree that you still don't know how they drive, but in that case you just have to use your gut and judge using what you do know about the person. If you don't know the person at all, you can't do that.
If it was a first time play date thing, then no, you would not be transporting my child to your home. I would, and I would hang out and get to know you. If you weren't OK with that, then my child would not be going to your house for a play date.

My kids are older now so this is what I would have done when they were younger like the OP's.

 

[tvguy]

OP - I would also request to be on your next school boards agenda - I’m sure your not the only concerned parent and school board agendas a public

Talking to the Principal and the School Board are absolutely reasonable actions.
Just be prepared that parents paying a fee to charter a private bus may be the only alternative to parents driving, and only IF there are private charter bus company in your area that has drivers licensed to carry school kids on staff (some states require a special license if the passengers are school children)

 

[scrapquitler]

I see alot of posters bringing up having proof of insurance. I'm not really sure what that tells you about someone's driving record, in my state you are required to have insurance. That doesn't ensure you are a safe driver, it just ensures that damages will be paid when you aren't.

Insurance is required in my state, too. That doesn't mean that every driver is actually insured, it just means they had insurance when their car was registered. It also doesn't mean that they have adequate coverage even if they do have insurance. Put three or four passengers in your car, and someone with minimum coverage could easily exceed the policy limits for medical coverage in a severe accident.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I do intend to do so, but I'd like to actually schedule a meeting with him rather than walk into his office randomly when he might be busy.

I woukd have walked into his office. Dont give him a chance to prepare.

 

[Hrhpd]

Our elementary schools often had parent drivers. Teachers were allotted x amount of bus trips a year and if they wanted to take an extra field trip (like a special exhibit at a museum that coincided with a subject they were teaching) they used parents.

However, if a parent was driving, they had to go through a background check and bring in a copy of their current DL and proof of current insurance with at set minimum of liability allowed. They had to sign a contract that their insurance would be liable for any accidents that happened.

 

[Hikergirl]

Insurance is required in my state, too. That doesn't mean that every driver is actually insured, it just means they had insurance when their car was registered. It also doesn't mean that they have adequate coverage even if they do have insurance. Put three or four passengers in your car, and someone with minimum coverage could easily exceed the policy limits for medical coverage in a severe accident.

I understand all of that, but for me that is all secondary to the driver's actual driving record when it comes to my child getting in to their car.

 

[bellebud]

In your situation (not knowing other parents, especially not knowing the actual parent who would be driving your kid), I'd be driving my own kid to this field trip. Or, if your kid didn't care about the trip, we'd stay out of school that day and do something fun.

 

[sjrec]

I woukd have walked into his office. Dont give him a chance to prepare.

These decisions are made by the Superintendent or the school board.
Considering it’s the end of the year and he’s got a lot going on right now, setting up a meeting over the summer would probably be more productive.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

My child went on a band bus trip to FL and there was no need for notarizing forms. Our signature was all they needed.

There is a need to notarize the forms. Your band just doesn't understand said need. Hopefully they never have to learn the hard way.

 

[mjkacmom]

There is a need to notarize the forms. Your band just doesn't understand said need. Hopefully they never have to learn the hard way.

My kids have been on a ton of choir trips, never had to notarize permission slips. Until this thread, I’ve never heard of it.

 

[BLAZEY]

I have driven DD and classmates on school field trips. All Drivers and chaperones are required to have the following. A criminal record check, driver abstract, and proof of full insurance coverage. parents can supply a booster seat if desired.