School Trip Cancellations

[Timbo]

There was a news story today that a school district in CT is canceling all foreign trips and is considering canceling trips to NYC and the Washington DC area. It is inevitable that we will be hearing about more schools cancelling all domestic trips. What are you hearing in your school districts? We have a school trip to WDW in late April. So far we are still going. Even if the school decides to cancel, my family still plans on going on our own. I am just wondering how many out there will not travel and will cancel their plans to visit WDW.

 

[DebbieB]

A school district in my area recently made an announcement that all trips outside the area were cancelled. The cheerleaders had a competition in Tampa that they already paid for and they protested. The school board agreed to let them go if the parents signed waivers and as long as the alert doesn't go to red.

 

[onthego103]

Our school district has stopped allowing any out-of-state trips. This was done as a post-9/11 precaution rather than in anticipation of war. Our eighth graders used to go to both Washington D.C. and Montreal, so it was a huge disappointment for them.

 

[jamsmom]

I read a similar thread recently and soneone made a very good point: What about those who LIVE in NYC or Washington, DC?

I still plan on going to WDW 1st week of June.

 

[Mickeydad]

The terrorists WIN if we don't leave our homes!!!

Our freedom is what they hate about us!!!

We leave in 33 days without a second thought!!

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

A school district in our area recently canceled the senior trip to WDW. According to the newspaper, the deposit is non refundable and the parents are flipping. I think a special meeting is called for this week.

 

[patsal]

The district where I teach will cancel all trips if (when) war breaks out. The district where my children attend have not publically said anything. Last faculty meeting we had a short discussion where we were told it wasn't up for discussion! In any event, the middle school has a trip planned for Quebec and the High school has a softball tourney in Fla. and there is an international trip planned to Spain and Italy. I guess it is just a matter of wait, and when!

 

[Threehearts]

My niece is down with the 8th graders from north of Boston. They were told that if war was declared by Sunday evening then they would not leave today. I live a quarter mile from the District and things are okay down here. People and the children are prepared to "shelter in place" and we haven't got any plastic or duct tape in our house yet. The kids have code red to blue drills frequently and we are moving ahead with our day to day lives. If disaster comes, duct tape probably won't fix it. We all did fairly well during the sniper attacks and we'll weather this as will the rest of the country. JMHO. Theehearts

 

[vicnmickey]

A school district near us also cancelled a trip to Washington DC due to the threat of war. IMHO Washington DC is the best protected city in the USA right now. They have 24 hour military protection on ground and in the air. The US Goverment will never put the Pentagon in harms way again. Those kids saved up for years for this trip, just to have it thrown out the window. Its not far to the youth of our country to give in to these crazy leaders, who threaten our freedoms.
I told my mom last night I will go on my trip either way. If its my time to go, I would rather go shaking Mickey Mouse's hand, than to be sitting like a little scared rabbit on the living room couch.


GOD BLESS AND AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

My son and I were going to Japan and China this summer with his Japanese club. I have decided not to go. (DS and I are going to WDW that week instead.) If we go to war, I'd rather be at home than in another country.

So far the school hasn't said anything about calling the trip off. They are waiting to see if we go to war.

The school also has a 2 day trip planned for early June to DC and Maryland. DS and I are still doing that one.

 

[Dopey Sharon]

So far, the senior trip to WDW, that our seniors go on, is still a go. My kids are out of school, but a co-worker just went to a parents meeting last week. I'll ask her if this question came up, but she didn't mention it.

 

[PamOKW]

There was a news story today that a school district in CT is canceling all foreign trips and is considering canceling trips to NYC and the Washington DC area.

It's the public schools in Greenwich. They've cancelled all trips outside the Western Hemisphere. Trips were planned to Greece, Finland and China. They say other cancellations, like DC and NYC, are possible or they may cut the trips short if something happens. They are advising parents to buy trip insurance. (The NYC trips are kind of odd since many of the students have parents who work in NYC every day. Greenwich lost a great many people on 9/11).

Darien, Fairfield, Norwalk, Westport and Wilton have also cancelled all foreign trips. Norwalk, Wilton and Westport are also not allowing out-of-state trips. Stamford is reviewing trips on a case by case basis.

It's very sad that it has come to this but they all say they want to err on the side of caution. Hopefully, we will regain our freedom to travel very soon.

 

[DisneyMim]

Our schools cancelled all trips after 9/11. My daughter, who was a senior that year had been scheduled to go to Disney for Grad nite, but it was cancelled. We travelled as a family last summer on two trips, one to Niagra Falls and one three week trip to Captiva and DisneyWorld. This year our schools went ahead with their trips, however, I did not let my son go on one with the Model UN to the Washington area. I know, I know, some people won't agree with me, but my husband and I just didn't want him to go. My neice is in Washington now, my sister had no problem with it. I think it's something very personal and only you can decide if it's ok within your own family. All that being said, we leave tomorrow for a quick trip to Florida. I have no problem if we are all together. We also have three trips planned for the summer (one to Disney!! Yeah!!) as a family. I understand that some people are upset that some schools are cancelling trips, but I really believe that it is a very hard decision and the schools are doing what they feel is right. God Bless America!! And good luck to everyone trying to plan/decide these types of trips.

 

[cindyfan]

I did not let my son go on one with the Model UN to the Washington area. I know, I know, some people won't agree with me, but my husband and I just didn't want him to go. My neice is in Washington now, my sister had no problem with it. I think it's something very personal and only you can decide if it's ok within your own family. All that being said, we leave tomorrow for a quick trip to Florida. I have no problem if we are all together

I agree with you....Unless I were going with my DD, there is no way I would let here go anywhere that is farther than a 2 - 3 hour drive!
If I were a chaperone....maybe?? But at this time NOT DC or any major city.
Her class went on their "Outdoor Education" trip a few weeks ago. But that was to a state park campground. And was within a 2hour drive. But I still worried for the 4 days she was gone.

 

[eeyore0062]

I think it is such a shame that these kids are being denied these trips, when we have no idea when a war will even break out.

Personally, I won't let the threat of war, or terrorist attacks stop me or my family. My brother is the middle of it right now, over in the Middle East. He told us to go on with our lives... that is what the military is over there for... and we plan to do exactly that.

As long as parents sign waivers, I don't see any reason for school districts to cancel trips within the country at this time. We can't sit in our "bomb shelters" and wait... we have to get on with our lives!

 

[Calcio]

Well said eeyore0062!

I think every one of us must make our own choice about the appropriateness of trips and plans. I well understand a school district (under pressure from its lawyers) cancelling a trip to a far off place like Greece, or a close place like New York City, but I think we as adults have the right and obligation to make that choice ourselves.

A long and perhaps boring story, but one that I think about every day right now . . .

In August of 2001 my wife, 16 year old DD, and I were in New York and one evening we went up to the observation deck of the Trade Centers. I'm deathly afraid of heights, but I went up to the outside exposed top, scurried around like a rabbit, looked as much as I could without losing it, then zipped down and out of there. My wife and DD thought this extremely amusing, but I told DD, "you never know when we 3 might have this chance again as a family, and I would never forgive myself if I didn't do it."

The funny thing is, that's the first thing she told me when I picked her up at school on September 11. Between the tears (Wellesley lost 5 people in airplanes), she told me she was so glad we had done this together, knowing we could never do it again.

I think taking foolish chances, is well, foolish. But I strongly believe, if you let those guys scare you out of living your lives, then they have won. Keep doing the things you love. Keep going to work. Keep hugging your children and loving your spouse. Life is such a gift. It's short enough as is, without living in fear for the few days we are given.

We had not originally planned a Christmas trip, but a week after September 11, we booked 6 days and 5 nights at WDW, the 3 of us. We came in on Christmas Day and had a wonderfull dinner at Narcossee's. Our DD walked back to the room, and my spouse and I floated around on the small boat, sitting by ourselves in the back, while the Captain took us to the Poly, the MK, and back to the GF. The entire week was wonderful, a time for 2 parents and a rapidly maturing girl to enjoy themselves as a family.

Were we taking a risk by leaving our house? Yes, but you take that risk every day you leave home. Was it a foolish risk? I don't think so, but even if something had happened we would have been together. Was it a vacation we 3 will always remember? Certainly. I realize it pales in comparison to the bravery our sons and daughters in Saudi, Kuwait, etc show every day, but as a middle aged male what I can do every day is go to class every day (I'm a College Professor, fortunate to work with the most wonderful young men and women you've ever seen) and give my best effort to my students, my College, my town, my family, and my beloved Country.

Bless you all. Make the choices you think appropriate. I realize we're all somewhere between scared and apprehensive, but we can come together and get through this rough patch.

 

[lovingthemouse]

I just returned from a trip to WDW this past Saturday with 43 middle schoolers and 9 adults. We did have the most wonderful time, and participated in the Disney YES Youth Education series program. If there were any parental concerns, none were voiced to us. Our School Committee, we live in a large city, approved it with no apparent hesitation.
I surely do understand the concern may people have - these are kids and our responsibility while gone. As a teacher I would certainly respect anyone's decision without question.

 

[apagano]

I think it is such a shame that these kids are being denied these trips, when we have no idea when a war will even break out.

I'm with you completely, eeyore0062! In my eyes, this is a huge embarassment to our country to have all these trips being cancelled because we might go to war with Iraq. Our troops are risking their lives in the Persian Gulf so we can curl up into a ball and hide under the couch? This is supposed to be the home of the BRAVE, not the home of the cowards. Two years ago, parents were afraid of sending their kids TO school because of all the school shootings. Now they're afraid to LEAVE school because of some war that isn't even being fought! What a joke.

 

[JohnTBap]

Originally posted by apagano
I'm with you completely, eeyore0062! In my eyes, this is a huge embarassment to our country to have all these trips being cancelled because we might go to war with Iraq. Our troops are risking their lives in the Persian Gulf so we can curl up into a ball and hide under the couch? This is supposed to be the home of the BRAVE, not the home of the cowards. Two years ago, parents were afraid of sending their kids TO school because of all the school shootings. Now they're afraid to LEAVE school because of some war that isn't even being fought! What a joke.

You ROCK!!!

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I have classmates in France and Germany right now for the next 2-3 weeks and I am leaving for DC on Saturday so all this has been on my mind 24/7 lately.