Would you let your eighth grader do this? (Update, first post)

[Magpie]

Okay, so given the reaction to a bus driver stopping to let some eighth graders have some ice cream, I'm wondering what you all think of this scenario...

My son's eighth grade class is ditching school next week to go to a local water park. Six parents have agreed to drive and one teacher will also be going with them. This is NOT an approved, school arranged trip. There are no insurance forms or permissions, and they'll all be marked absent for the day.

The children organized it all themselves, figuring out how they are going to get there and who will be driving them, and how they'll be getting home.

Would you let your child do this?

ETA:

*This the last partial week of school. They're not missing any instructional time.

*These kids have been together since Grade 5. After this year, they're splitting up and going to many different high schools. Most will never see each other again.

*Our school board does not allow any official school outings that involve swimming, due to liability.

*I can't be a parent driver, because I get double vision and am not allowed to drive.


UPDATE: They're off!

I decided (to my son's dismay) to accompany him to school this morning, just for my own peace of mind. When I signed in at the office, the secretary said to my son, "Are you going on the trip? Do I have your permission note?" We confirmed that he did indeed have a handwritten note from me saying he'll be absent for the day, and I was glad to see that everything was out in the open.

I met my son's teacher in the classroom, and she confirmed that there will be three adults present at all times, keeping an eye on the kids, plus herself.

I said, "Thank you for doing this."

She said, "Oh no, it wasn't me! This is all them." She gestured at the kids milling around. "It's amazing what these kids can accomplish. They conceived and organized this whole event themselves." To the closest kid she said, "Have I told you guys you're amazing?"

He grinned. "You tell us that every day."

So I felt pretty good dropping my son off for his day of waterpark fun.

Final UPDATE:

He's back (yay!), happy as can be, and lobster-red. Grrr... I SENT sunscreen with him! But at least no one drowned, so that's good. I've got him slathering on moisturizer to try to alleviate some of the sun burn damage.

And there goes my perfect parenting record... I can now no longer say that neither of my children has ever had a sunburn.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

No, absolutely not.

 

[endy]

It's a no for me as well. Never.

 

[krcit]

Probably. My 7th grade dd(well 8th in Sept) gets very good grades and never misses school, so I would most likely let her.

 

[ThreeBeans]

It depends. Is it a last week of school scenario where they will be doing little more than watching movies and cleaning out their cubbies? If so, maybe.

If not, then no. They can go when they finish class, right?

 

[beachcomber]

Okay, so given the reaction to a bus driver stopping to let some eighth graders have some ice cream, I'm wondering what you all think of this scenario...

My son's eighth grade class is ditching school next week to go to a local water park. Six parents have agreed to drive and one teacher will also be going with them. This is NOT an approved, school arranged trip. There are no insurance forms or permissions, and they'll all be marked absent for the day.

The children organized it all themselves, figuring out how they are going to get there and who will be driving them, and how they'll be getting home.

Would you let your child do this?

Probably not, but only because it would be a "skip day". I would if they were seniors in high school. That's the more traditional time for that type of activity. Honestly, finishing 8th grade should not be a big deal that needs "rewarded" with a skip day.

If it weren't a skip day or was a field trip or reward from the school for some type of behavior/grade/service project....sure. Most of our field trips are with parent drivers anyway.

 

[luvmy3]

No, I wouldn't let my dd ditch school to go to a water park for the day.
If it was a weekend or another day off, sure why not.

 

[MickeySP]

depends on the context - last days, they are being used as a cleaning crew - for sure!!

Mid semester, or beginning of the year - nope

 

[luvmy3]

OP, when do your kids get out of school, or do they go year round?

 

[jackemail]

Teacher should re-think....could get into serious trouble for that! (retired teacher here)

 

[lovesmurfs]

Yes, probably, depending on the rules when they're in the park -- always with someone else and checking in at lunchtime and dinner time at some major landmark.

 

[Andtototoo]

A TEACHER is going?

Wow.

Great example she or he is setting there for ditching school.

 

[spaceacewannabe]

Teacher should re-think....could get into serious trouble for that! (retired teacher here)

I was thinking the same thing! (current teacher who likes and wants to keep her job here!)

 

[ForAandA]

This isn't even a factor of whether or not they are skipping school. God forbid something happens, someone gets hurt. Parents are going to freak, even if they are going!

Plus that poor teacher could get into alot of trouble. This is a liability issue all around.

 

[Reddy]

is the school supporting it?? since a teacher is going it sounds like the school is supporting it.
do the 8th graders do this every year at this school

 

[Magpie]

OP, when do your kids get out of school, or do they go year round?

There's four "official" days left of school next week, but there's no school on the fourth day, and one of the other days will be taken up by the Graduation ceremony.

My son won't be missing any class time.

Also, due to school boundaries, all of the eighth grade kids will be scattered to different high schools around the region. Only one of my son's classmates will be attending the same high school he will. The rest are going to nearly a dozen different schools. They've been together since Grade 5, but after this most will never see each other again. So it is a big transition for them.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Probably not for me.

 

[Magpie]

is the school supporting it?? since a teacher is going it sounds like the school is supporting it.
do the 8th graders do this every year at this school

The school is not officially supporting it, but they're not opposing it either. The teacher is going on her day off, so she's not going in her role as "teacher", she's simply going as a private citizen.

It didn't happen last year, but I expect if it goes well this year, it will probably end up becoming a tradition. It's a brand new waterpark, which just opened last year.

 

[qtwns]

Teacher should re-think....could get into serious trouble for that! (retired teacher here)

Agreed! That teacher very well could be writing his/her own pink slip.

 

[aprilgail2]

Yes I would let my 6th grade daughter go no problem. Last week was the last week of school and we took off on Tuesday to go to a water park with friends. We usually take 4-5 kids and there are 2 adults. We rent a gazebo and we adults hang out there and the kids come back when they need a drink or are hungry.