BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE — The township’s elementary school canceled a class trip to Philadelphia over a brouhaha regarding chaperones.
Second-graders didn’t get to go on a field trip Feb. 16 to the Franklin Institute to learn more about the circulatory system because parents not chosen as chaperones allegedly threatened to show up at the museum, according to board officials.
“The reality is, [the teachers] were frightened,” Superintendent of Schools William Setaro said.
Setaro said problems with the trip arose after teachers chose chaperones from a group of parents who volunteered to go on the trip. He alleged that 10 parents who were not chosen to attend pulled their children from the trip.
Setaro said the school had to send a letter home to parents because parents had told teachers and administrators they would go to the museum anyway, even if they were not chaperones.
In the letter, Principal Laura Vetere said, “It has been brought to my attention that some parents who were not selected as chaperones plan on driving themselves to the museum and joining the group. We also understand that some parents may keep their children home from school and then drive to the location to join the class.”
The letter said the school did not support the possible scenarios. It further stated that only children who were in homeroom that morning may go on the trip, and that they must be with their chaperone and school group at all times.
Board member Paula Kinsey said the letter “stirred emotions” in parents because it said they could not follow the bus to join the class at the museum.
“It’s a public place,” Kinsey said. “You can’t tell a parent they cannot go to the building.”
Board member Mary Ann Friedman said the trip would have turned into “a logistical nightmare” with most parents accompanying their children on the excursion.
“You can’t expect a teacher to put their license or certification on the line if they know the situation could be a free-for-all,” Friedman said.
Mary Pinney, the board’s vice president, said that field trips without parents have educational value.
“It’s part of the growing-up and maturation process,” Pinney said. “It’s one of the things that happens in school. Kids don’t need to have their parents there all the time.”
Board member Sami Qutub said just because a museum is a public place doesn’t mean it is appropriate for a parent to follow along on the trip.
Setaro said he had to hold a special meeting with the second-grade teachers with regard to the trip.
He said teachers were “petrified” about possibly having to deal with parents showing up at the institute.
Setaro said he offered to attend the
trip and to handle any potential situation in a diplomatic way, but he could not convince the teachers to go.
“They felt they would get grief if they went or if they didn’t go,” Setaro said. “It was tough to watch all these teachers.”
Gym teacher Carol Leto wrote a second letter to parents, explaining why the school had canceled the trip.
The letter said parents made teachers feel uncomfortable continuing with trip plans.
It also said teachers felt a lack of trust and cooperation on the part of the parents.
“Even a chaperone-child ratio of 1-to-3 was not good enough for some parents,” the letter said. The fact that parents do not trust the teachers enough is “really a sad situation,” according to the letter.
The Board of Education discussed the incident at its Feb. 14 workshop meeting. Members also talked about changing chaperone policies.
Kinsey found fault with how the chaperones were chosen. She said teachers picked names out of a hat in front of the children.
Kinsey said the chaperones should have received approval from the board, as do other school volunteers. Volunteers sign up to work in the school on Back to School Night, and the board verifies the list, according to Kinsey.
Assistant Superintendent Mary Ann Donahue said the policy for official volunteers did not apply to the one-time chaperones for the trip. It only applies for those who volunteer at least 10 days during the school year, she said.
Board member Gina Morrone wants the board to clarify its guidelines for volunteers.
While in the school building, Morrone said volunteers can only work under the supervision of a teacher.
Morrone said she has chaperoned field trips, during which teachers left her alone to supervise students.
“The same children I couldn’t be left alone with in the school building are now my responsibility. and I’m accountable,” Morrone said.
Friedman said teachers should directly supervise chaperones at all times.
Morrone also said volunteers who coach athletic teams need background checks and fingerprinting.
“We don’t require this of school chaperones,” Morrone said. “Are we leaving ourselves open?”
Setaro said, “The reality is, if we’re looking at background checks for chaperones, we ought to look at checks for everyone who comes into the building.”
Board President Kathy Winecoff said if the district wants certified staff for field trips, then it should use paid substitute teachers — who have background checks — to chaperone.
The district pays $78 per individual for background checks and fingerprinting, according to Winecoff.
Setaro said accountability for students remains with the certified teacher.
In the classroom and on a field trip, Setaro said, the person with certification is responsible for the child, and irresponsibility can cause loss of certification and career.
school year, she said.
Board member Gina Morrone wants the board to clarify its guidelines for volunteers.
While in the school building, Morrone said volunteers can only work under the supervision of a teacher.
Morrone said she has chaperoned field trips, during which teachers left her alone to supervise students.
“The same children I couldn’t be left alone with in the school building are now my responsibility. and I’m accountable,” Morrone said.
Friedman said teachers should directly supervise chaperones at all times.
Morrone also said volunteers who coach athletic teams need background checks and fingerprinting.
“We don’t require this of school chaperones,” Morrone said. “Are we leaving ourselves open?”
Setaro said, “The reality is, if we’re looking at background checks for chaperones, we ought to look at checks for everyone who comes into the building.”
Board President Kathy Winecoff said if the district wants certified staff for field trips, then it should use paid substitute teachers — who have background checks — to chaperone.
The district pays $78 per individual for background checks and fingerprinting, according to Winecoff.
Setaro said accountability for students remains with the certified teacher.
In the classroom and on a field trip, Setaro said, the person with certification is responsible for the child, and irresponsibility can cause loss of certification and career.