Tween recently went on a trip to New York City with his show choir group. He had an absolute blast and was torn between coming home and staying there forever. I am glad he chose to come home.
While he was there he got to see 'Wicked' and experience a behind the scenes workshop where they learned a song and dance from 'Wicked'.
They also got to see Ground Zero, shop in Chinatown and 5th Avenue and have lunch in Times Square.
After he got home from his trip we talked on an off about it for a few days. In the course of talking I came to find out that he had to sleep on the floor in the hotel room. When I questioned him it came out that there were 4 of them in the room, 3 kids and a student teacher from last fall. The student teacher refused to share a bed with the kids as he felt he 'earned' his own bed. And one of the other students being a junior pulled rank and refused to share a bed with anyone as well. So my Tween and the other boy had to sleep on the floor. (btw - they all paid the same amount)
To say that I was mortified would be putting it mildly. As soon as I found out I shot a text message to the teacher in charge. She had no idea that any of this happened. Tween verified that he didn't tell anyone. I ran the whole gamut of emotions from mad, to sad, appalled to disgusted and back to mad.
The next day the principal called me and expressed his sincere apologies. He was just as mortified and disappointed and appalled as the teacher and I were.
So now it is after the trip.
The principal and the teacher and Tween and I have all spoken on different occasions and have come up with the best possible solution.
But I would like to know what you feel would resolve the situation for you.
Stacy
9 comments:
This also happened to my son, when in the 8th grade, the Indoor Drumline took a trip to Washington DC for five days. In his situation, there were two substitute teachers in each room, and they took the beds and made my son and his friend sleep on the floor. To make matters worse, the sub's went for free. When I found out about this, I was mortified, angry, and I think I even cried. I called the school, then the Board of Education, and after several meetings, both my son and the other received a complete refund for the trip, and the two Subs had to resign. They actually endangered the wellfare of my child, and in the end it all worked out.
I think I'd pursue the deal Holly's son received, minus the resignations. But I think the teacher would never be allowed to chaperone one of these trips again. Or perhaps he should pay for Tween & the other boy's trip.
I think you should ask them to make a written policy for trips and room sharing. My husband is an assistant choir director this year and they are going in a trip this week, and they don't have one either. He told the director he thought sharing the bed with a kid is a bad idea. (seems like a no brainer to me.) they said in the past the male director and the boys shared a suite. If a kid refuses to share a bed with another student, they should have to pay extra.
I would pursue this, and find out how someone who is supposed to be an adult could act with such careless disregard for children? Could they not even call to see if there were roll away beds available? Sleeping on the floor is never, ever an option. I am sure that you and your husband paid really good money for tween to go. I would be really, really, disappointed and angry in the actions of the adults in the situation. That is not responsible behavior at all..
Sucky situation, great question!
I think a fair resolution is 1.) a sincere apology 2.) a full refund for the cost of the hotel room.
I might be the only one who feels this way, but sleeping on a floor isn't gonna kill anyone. My son had a sleepover last weekend and all the kids slept on the floor. That said, none of them paid $100/night to sleep on the floor either. :)
I agree it was unfair and rude and I would be ticked off too.
P.S. Adults should never sleep in the same bed as a minor. THAT would be my biggest issue. I would FREAK out if an adult chaperone slept in the same bed with my young son!
this is a tough one. I have to agree that NO one should have had to sleep on the floor - especially if they paid full price for the room as the others. I'm not sure I agree with an adult sleeping with the student either unless it is completely discussed with the parents before the trip.
I say you should at least get your money back - he shouldn't have had to sleep on the floor - he paid the same as the ones on the bed...
When you arrange such a trip and parents have to shell out good money for hotel rooms, they should make sure there are plenty of beds, even if it means roll aways or couches in the rooms.
I would demand an apology as well as some sort of written policy for future trips. There is no sense in letting history repeat itself when it is completely preventable.
I am so glad Tween had a good time and am also glad he didn't catch a cold or some other virus from sleeping on the floor. Poor little guy. Can't wait to hear what you guys decided was fair!
I'm not sure a refund for the whole entire trip is in order since he seemed to have a blast. I'd ask for at least a partial refund on the hotel.
Wow! I'm still just shaking my head over this. I get angry just over how thoughtless, rude, selfish, people can be! WTH is wrong with them?! I can't imagine how you have decided to handle this, I would probably have chalked it up to one more of life's unfairness and a lesson for tween not to let people walk over him.
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