Cancelled school trip

pollypenny

I'm envisaging something like this:

Being with a group of Y8 at the Place de Tetre. Giving instructions, you have 15 mins to wander around, stay in groups on no less than three, back here at X o'clock.

There is a security alert/ panic. People flee. Whether there's an attack or not.

Kids run - where? Then they're lost. Have the bare minimum of French.

The mobile networks are overrun and down.

Hopefull, the kids will be ok, hopefully the staff and kids will find each other quickly. It's not guaranteed.

That's why I'd be reluctant to take a group now.

I've no problem with visiting any big city myself. We never know what's going to happen.

missbiggles1

pollypenny wrote: »

I'm envisaging something like this:

Being with a group of Y8 at the Place de Tetre. Giving instructions, you have 15 mins to wander around, stay in groups on no less than three, back here at X o'clock.

There is a security alert/ panic. People flee. Whether there's an attack or not.

Kids run - where? Then they're lost. Have the bare minimum of French.

The mobile networks are overrun and down.

Hopefull, the kids will be ok, hopefully the staff and kids will find each other quickly. It's not guaranteed.

That's why I'd be reluctant to take a group now.

I've no problem with visiting any big city myself. We never know what's going to happen.

Whilst I'm all for teenagers being independent (and my older students did everything on their own) surely, if you're worried, it would be simpler to forgo this 15 minutes of independent wandering and just stay in a group with a member of staff?

It must be better (and send out a better message) than just cancelling the whole thing.

zagfles

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

And if our government is to be believed, the UK have foiled 7 attacks in the UK in the last 12 months.

There's going to be more armed police deployed to Manchester in the run up to Christmas, and anti terrorist police are helping train security around the Trafford Centre, Arndale Centre, Printworks, Old Trafford, Etihad etc etc. Will there be 1000s of children around those places. You bet your life there will. Will adults be avoiding them. No chance. We'll certainly be there tomorrow, and most weekends as usual, along with 1000s of others.

The risk to the UK will only increase even more if our 'esteemed' PM gets his way and we start bombing Syria. Then we really will be in the firing line, and we're already on the next to the highest terror alert. It's going to be something we just have to live with, unless people with children are planning to leave the UK?

Our kids' school even does school trips to the Trafford Centre. Will those stop? Will they ****

pollypenny

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Whilst I'm all for teenagers being independent (and my older students did everything on their own) surely, if you're worried, it would be simpler to forgo this 15 minutes of independent wandering and just stay in a group with a member of staff?

It must be better (and send out a better message) than just cancelling the whole thing.

Yep, ok, they can stay with big brave me. I'll sort the terrorist out.

I know, I wouldn't be running without counting and shepherding my group, so that would waste time.

zagfles

pollypenny wrote: »

Yep, ok, they can stay with big brave me. I'll sort the terrorist out.

I know, I wouldn't be running without counting and shepherding my group, so that would waste time.

What terrorist? You realise that more children have been killed in the West by non Islamic terrorists than Islamic terrorists do you? More children died in the Dunblane massacre than died in 9/11. Far more children died in the Norwegian massacre than in Paris, London, Madrid and New York put together.

The Islamic terrorists have targeted rush hour commuters, business people and adults on nights out. Are you going to commute in the rush hour? Are you going to go to see heavy metal bands or eat out after 930pm?

You're in more danger in the UK commuting to work. Or to school. So best stay indoors wrapped in cotton wool. Or perhaps build a bomb proof bunker in your back garden.

Apparently most Paris schools were open today. Their teachers and pupils must be really brave.

Marvel1

zagfles wrote: »

How about the individual(s) who made the decision to cancel, when there is no FCO advice against travel to Paris in Feb. Whether that was the head, or some cowardly teacher(s) who decided to pull out?

Why don't you book a holiday to Syria or close to it?

missbiggles1

cjdavies wrote: »

Why don't you book a holiday to Syria or close to it?

Paris, Syria. Syria, Paris. How hard it is to tell the difference.:D

nwc389

I think the point the OP is making is that
The trip was cancelled without consultation with the parents
The replacement trip was booked again without consultation
There is a big difference between a trip to Paris and an activities based one in the uk, I'd love to see Paris but you couldn't pay me to go to anything that involved getting wet and covered in mud in the uk !
All she is saying is why didn't they consult the parents before they did anything , after all they had a reasonable amount of time as the trip was not until February .

Marvel1

whitesatin wrote: »

I wonder if the parents would like to organize and take the trip themselves. I am sure it could be arranged. Mind you, it might mean having to give up some of their own time. But at least they wouldn't lose their deposits and that's obviously very important to them.

Seems a good idea.

zagfles

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Paris, Syria. Syria, Paris. How hard it is to tell the difference.:D

Well it's all forrin places where people have died. They're all the same. Never mind whether it's a couple of hundred or a couple of hundred thousand. All the same to people with no sense of proportion.