Field Trip: Legal Issues

A field trip is any trip, local sporting event or cultural activity that occurs off the school property and where the risks are low and fully manageable. Students love field trips because they have a chance to get out of the classroom and experience something new. Effective teachers should consider the process they would go through to plan a field trip. They should consider the legal issues before taking the field trip with the pupils.

Educators have the duty to meet the required standard of care to students. They should carry out activities that are suitable to the age, mental, and physical conditions of the participant. 

In addition, teachers should ask students to advise them of any special disabilities, problems or needs that need to be accommodated. Teachers should have a first aid kit and first aid manual. Then, teachers need to identify any special hazards or dangers on the trip that might affect the health and safety of the students. Teachers should visit the area where the field trip will take place. 

Equally important teachers have to obtain signed parental permission for all the minor students participating. The parents have the right to be fully informed when asked to provide consent for their child to participate on a trip. Teachers should include on the letter to parents a description of the field trip with information on the location, the date of the field trip and why the location was chosen. Thus, the school must insure the school bus for liability (injury to third parties and third party property damage) and physical damage. 

Furthermore, teachers should divide the class into groups of teams. Then, teachers should provide students with written information explaining what is expected of them prior to and during the field trip (packing a lunch, dress code and code of conduct). 

Also teachers should make sure that all children have ID badges or other org identifying labels. Then, teachers and students must agree on a place to meet if someone gets separated from the group. And they should never leave the area with an unidentified person. 

In the whole, it is very important to follow all the safety rules and legal issues before going on a field trip. Teachers have the responsibility to check all the legal issues before planning a field trip. It is imperative that teachers should be knowledgeable about the legal issues concerning any kind of field trip.