school field trip permission slip

[bobgobblin15]

So, my daughter is in kindergarten. She received a permission slip for me to sign. But it states that as a parent I remain fully responsible for any legal responsibility which may result from any personal actions taken the named student. And then it goes to say that they release and hold harmless ( school name) and any and all of the employees from any and all liability for any and all harm arising to my child as a result of this trip.

What does anyone else think of this. I know this is probably close to standard with school field trip permission slips. But at the same time I am not the parent to fall in line and let my child do what another is doing. And if I were to let my 5 year old go and she gets seriously injured because the teachers weren't paying attention and controlling the kids, they aren't held responsible??? I hope others but in their thoughts.

 

[cabanafrau]

Sounds like the district or possibly one in your area may have had issues with a child on a field trip causing damage to something at a facility in the past.

As far as indemnifying themselves from any and all harm to your child, I'm reasonably sure that has its limits -- i.e. if your child were injured in a bus accident and the driver had been texting, the district isn't protected.

When one of my daughters went on the school trip to DC her friend stumbled coming off the bus and hurt her foot. That would be the type of situation the form probably would indemnify the district/personnel from liability for.

 

[sam_gordon]

So, my daughter is in kindergarten. She received a permission slip for me to sign. But it states that as a parent I remain fully responsible for any legal responsibility which may result from any personal actions taken the named student. And then it goes to say that they release and hold harmless ( school name) and any and all of the employees from any and all liability for any and all harm arising to my child as a result of this trip.

What does anyone else think of this. I know this is probably close to standard with school field trip permission slips. But at the same time I am not the parent to fall in line and let my child do what another is doing. And if I were to let my 5 year old go and she gets seriously injured because the teachers weren't paying attention and controlling the kids, they aren't held responsible??? I hope others but in their thoughts.

I sign them. I assume if someone was truly negligent the release won't do much. Maybe I'm naive, but I'm not worried about it. I do think the parent should be responsible if the child damages something.

 

[jrmasm]

I’d sign and never give it a second thought.

 

[LYSE]

They can put whatever they want in there and still loose in court if they are negligent.

You could also modify and re print the slip and sign that version..I bet they wouldn't notice LOL

 

[EMom]

I draw a line through the part about them not being responsible, even because of their negligence, sign it and turn it in. No one has ever noticed.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I sign them for DGD now and before that for my sons.

 

[bobgobblin15]

I agree if my child damages something that I am responsible for the cost. But to hold the school and employees harmless for any and all harm arising to my child is a little questioning. These are walking field trips, so to me if I am responsible for damages my child may cause then the teacher needs to be held responsible as well. I know that I am over reading it. But this is also my child and people are crazy.

 

[jrmasm]

IF you’re that concerned, volunteer to be a chaperone.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’ve signed over 100 permission slips and never had an issue, I don’t know anyone who has. This is just not a hill to die on, especially so early in schooling. My dd did break her wrist at track practice. I never purchased the schools insurance, but was given the schools insurance contact information, and they reimbursed me for anything not cover by my health insurance.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

I don’t know about the specifics of your state, but often courts will not allow a negligent party to exclude liability in this way, particularly if the negligence causes injury (rather than property damage). The purpose of these attempts is to make people think that they have no recourse, but courts generally do not consider themselves bound by these types of provisions.

But I would score through the section you disagree with, initial beside it, and then sign the form as normal. I doubt you will hear anything.

 

[verleniahall]

it will depend on ur district - I would talk to the teacher, principal or superintendent and get clarification

 

[Hikergirl]

None of our permission slips ever said anything like that.
I doubt that is actually legally binding if your child is harmed or hurt because of the actions of any of the school personnel on that trip.
If it makes you feel better do what the pp's suggest and put a line through that part.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Those forms cannot prevent the district from liability. I don't know why they even bother with that part, unless they hope to head off those who think they are enforceable.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Those forms cannot prevent the district from liability. I don't know why they even bother with that part, unless they hope to head off those who think they are enforceable.

This is precisely why. Many companies and organisations use all kinds of unenforceable stock forms and contract provisions in the hope that people won’t know any better.

 

[Southernmiss]

Pretty standard permission form.

Ds had a concussion playing high school soccer and dd had a pinkie injury playing high school goal keeper, all those medical bills were covered by the district.

4 kids through school...no issues with field trips

 

[okeydokey]

These slips really aren’t legally binding anyway. I just signed them.

 

[tvguy]

Sounds like a normal field trip release form that most schools use.
This is the one the school district I live in uses. Pretty similar.
https://www.sanjuan.edu/site/handle...dataid=3099&FileName=fieldtrippermission5.pdf

 

[Ben E N]

I'm sure that was language insisted upon by district lawyers because they were viewing the worst case possibility. You go to the art institute, a middle schooler ignores a teacher's clear directions to touch nothing, and then suddenly the district is responsible for paying for a Van Gogh because he or she was under the district's supervision. There is no way the district would allow that sort of trip to happen without that safeguard in place.
As a teacher, I can tell you that the job of watching over every kid and making sure that they are present, safe, behaving, and engaged on a field trip is quite the difficult task. On behalf of any teacher brave enough to take kids on a field trip, I encourage you to chaperone. The more people watching over the children, the better it is for everyone.

 

[gotomu212]

Just like the “waivers” you sign at any kids bounce house/trampoline park/play area, permission slips have very little legal power. They are making you aware that your kid won’t be in school that day, they are off elsewhere, and short of that they are still responsible for behaving in a non negligent way. This will be the first in hundreds of waivers you will sign if you haven’t already started seeing them before.