So, Friday Sterling brings home a school trip form. I'm all for school trips, even though most of the time they require a significant outlay of cash by the parents. $50 for Medieval Times, $38 for the Science Centre, etc etc etc. This one however, took the cake. $515 (yes, $515) to go on a trip to St. Donat, Quebec for 3 days. You have got to be kidding me. After reading about the trip and recovering from my faint at seeing the price, and listening to Sterling say he did not want to spend 19 hours in a bus (each way) with 60 other kids, we came to the decision that he will not be participating.
First off - I do not have $515 to hand over this month for a school trip. Secondly, what about the peanut issue? Thirdly, they are not allowed to take their cell phones (which goes back to the peanut issue and the use public phones). Fourthly - $515!!!! Fifthly (is that a word? Is fourthly? who cares - it's my blog) - you also have to provide them with spending money and money for 3 days of lunches and one supper as well as there are special clothes (thermal underwear, two pairs of gloves, etc) that they 'just have to have'.
While some of you may disagreed, I am appalled that the school feels that a class trip, while all said and done, will cost a family close to $1000, is feasible in today's economy. This says nothing of the sleep away field trip Kaedo has on the agenda for this year. Thankfully his is very cheap.
For $1000 we could take the kids to Quebec as a family for a few days, for hells sake.
Needless to say, Sterling isn't going and neither are many of his friends. I hope the turnout is low and the school realizes there must be better opportunities for kids. It's not like they are offering 2 weeks in Europe. It's billeting in Quebec so you can eat Poutine 3 meals a day!
Ok - my soapbox is back in the closet.
2 comments:
My first question is . . . what is the purpose of the trip? Secondly if it is for the class and not a club it is definatley too far. I will take my class for an hour or two away fom PA and as for the cell phones - good luck. Anyways good for you. Field trips at our school are always optional and by not going there are ways to meet the curriculum objectives.
But on the other hand I want to credit the Ontario education system for saying YES to giving zeros and punishing plagarism and late assignments. Our division has set us on a course to do the opposite and it has finally hit the media and the public is crying FOUL - as are all the teachers! ood for you Ontario - hope we can follow suit. Sorry Shannon, my bandwagon your blog - my bad!!!
Wow! that's quite a bit of money for St. Donat. Like it's only the next province...and all those hours on the bus although I question the 19 hours as it's only about 400 miles from your place. It's not far from where we used to live and it is a beautiful trip through the Laurentians but that's a ridiculous amount of money. I can remember Jessica going to Mexico and begging both of you to go to Europe (without success) but even in the dollars of those days it didn't seem like it was over the top pricewise.
Hold out for Europe Sterling. Tell your parents to start saving.
Love to all
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