Do you ever worry that doing the right thing... (long rant)

[greeneggsandham]

Wow I'm surprised there was not a chaperon for each group.

When my daughter (15 at the time) went to NYC to see Tarzan on Broadway each group of kids had to have an adult with them at all times.
The school can get in trouble for allowing minors to be unsupervised on a field trip. What if they stole something from a store and got caught? I know I would be rips**t if my daughter came home with a piercing and she was supposed to be on a fieldtrip. The school would never hear the end of it.

Your daughter is a smart girl and you should be very proud of her for going to you about what happened. When you call the school give them hell.

 

[Prettiest Frog]

I'd leave it for the parents of the girls to deal with.

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
I will. I just want to make sure the parents actually know...

 

[PineappleMama]

Precisely. Of course at in our district no teacher, staff, etc. can give ANY contact info to ANY other parent, PTA, anyone. If you want to be contacted by PTA you have to fill out the form with your info. If you want to be in the Directory you have to fill out the form. If you don't No One Can Call You. Some really have no interest whatsoever in what's going on at the school, their kid having any friends from school, having anything to do with parties at school, etc. Others get really peeved when they aren't called, but HELLO how am I poda call you if you don't give me your number?

SO... if something like this happened here I'd have no choice but to talk to the school and let them in turn call those parents. I'd rather do both, so I KNOW the parents were notified not just covered up, but same note then it's more likely the sneaks would know who snitched (caller ID). But the school does need to know so that they can prevent this in the future. If one of those girls caught a disease, major infection, etc. the school could be held liable for it since they were supposed to be supervising these kids.

Meh, what a mess. Hope to hades I'm never in this particular one.

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:

Sorry you had to experience that. I'd be upset, too!

My girl knows I'm going to talk to the school. I will ask for confidentiality, but if that isn't honored DD will know what's going on.


The principal never called me back. When I called again 4 hours later she was 'unavailable' which I hope is slang for 'really busy sorting out a field trip mess'.

And BTW, the written permission rule, in TN, was changed to a "Parent/ guardian present with proof of guardianship" for minors 18 and under. This covers both tattoos and piercings. But, what really steams me, is there only a $50 fine for business that break the law.

 

[biddybird]

I am not an overly protective parent, and I'm not uproaringly against tats or piercing, but letting 14 and 13 year olds roam unchaperoned? During a school function? If I were the parent of these girls I would be not only furious with them, but with the school. If they had time to do this that is time to do worse.

If they were showing it off, I would have thought you wouldn't even have to be the one to tell. Our school is small and there are no secrets for very long. Maybe the principal already is aware. I would definately tell him to invent a way to find out about it other than your DD telling. Kids can be horrible, especially those girl clicks. I do hope your DD doesn't pay a price for being good.

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
I know what you mean. I'm glad my daughter was well-behaved and has the photos to show from the places she went.

She did admit to hugging a lot of non-school guys

But with DD there is no doubt it was just hugs (and a nice tip for the cute waiter).

Yes, our school is small and I hope others did turn these girls in. But when I mentioned that to DH last night he was worried that the other kids would be scared to say something, or would wait. And in the case of an infection, especially a staph infection, time could make a real difference.


The main lady in the office knew nothing about this.
But the principal still hasn't called back and school is almost out.

Saying "I tried" and walking away doesn't feel very satisfactory

But then again, its all in the Big Guy's hands anyway, right? Heaven knows I've prayed about this!


PineappleMama, I hope you never see your kids in this kind of mess, either!

 

[cmjust0]

Quote:
Dude...you're talking about Gatlinburg. I'm not from the area, but I spent a lot of time there as a kid and young adult.. So much so that I know a lot of the backroads and how to avoid a lot of the tourist traffic, and my family actually knows quite a few of the places where the locals eat.. It was like a second home to me, growing up.

That said, and while Gatlinburg is still one of my favorite places in the world to go, I don't think I'd turn teenage girls loose there with no supervision.. It's true that Gatlinburg is still a very family-friendly place, but it ain't exactly what I'd call a "quaint little town" anymore. I'd consider it perfectly acceptable for chaperoned outings to places like Ripley's, the Aquarium, the Space Needle, etc...but seriously, with that many hotels right there on the strip...and that many little nooks and crannies and alleys...to have had only a couple of clandestine belly button piercings might be a blessing.

I just got curious and looked it up...did you know there are actually five registered sex offenders living in hotels right on the parkway in Gatlinburg?

Just sayin'.

 

[biddybird]

Just wanted to know how this worked out. Hope all for the best.

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
All the parents knew the kids would be unescorted much of the time. We all signed permission slips (or at least, I know I did). And this is a quaint little town, where kids have been doing this same thing for years. The trip was only 8th graders, and only the ones who had no 'referals' or other disciplinary issues. A rite of passage before high school kind of thing.

I would certainly hope the school doesn't try to sweep this under the rug!!



BTW, my DD had a very good time on the trip. She scared herself silly at Ripley's Haunted House (her friends were so scared they wimped out 1/2 way through). They went to a car museum. And they ate at Bubba Gump's (she said she left a good tip, I said 'Was the waiter cute?" and she blushed LOL). This was what the trip was supposed to be about!

You know, I've passed that place a zillion times on the way from KY to NC and have always wondered about going there. Well, that and Dollywood! Yup, I'm that cheesy!!!

As for the quality of the shop - any place that would pierce a minor with out a parent present isn't too on the up and up IMO. Good for your dd for doing the right thing. So many people don't.