Case
Late Night Drink

The 3rd Grade classes of your school go on a field trip to a sleep over at the zoo. It is yourself, 3 other teachers, 4 teacher assistants, and 6 parent volunteers. It is late and you see that one of the parents brought beer with them. You go to check to make sure that your students are all asleep but one of the parents invites you to sit down and have a drink with them. You know it is against the code of ethics to do so before checking the students safety but the other parents start calling you names. What do you do?

Posted on: 09/28/15 | Views: 2507
Solution #1
Top Solution
The teacher should immediately contact her school administrator/principal to advise them of the fact that a parent brought alcohol on a field trip as her first priority is for the safety of her students. A parent drinking on a field trip is not only unacceptable but must be reported. It is a violation of our code of ethics to do anything that jeopardizes our students health and welfare. The parents involved should be asked to leave and be denied participation in any future volunteer activities.

I agree it is not appropriate and that parent should be reported.

I agree! That is not appropriate and the teacher should contact an administrator.

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Solution #2
You remind them that you are on a SCHOOL trip, and that it's not appropriate to drink on school trips, nor would it be ethical. I would kindly tell the parent that they should put their beverage away and to not drink it.

I would do the same thing in that situation.

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Solution #3
You are on the field trip as a school employee not a parent chaperone. As an employee you are responsible for the children in your care. Although the parents are 'letting loose' you may not, because of the duties you have taken on. For example: if you decided to have a few drinks and then a student had an emergency and had to go to the hospital who could drive them? The drinks in your sister make you unsuitable to drive the child; You would have forfeited your responsibilities and there for would not be ethically grounded.

The teacher must be prepared to take care of the student day and night when on an overnight field trip.

I have been in this situation before. I agree professionalism is key too.

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Solution #4
That is BEYOND inappropriate of the parents and it has to be reported. I would tell the parents that their behavior was inappropriate, ask them to pour it out, and I would immediately report what had happened to my administration. I would also possibly tell the people who were working at the zoo because there is no way that the parents would be allowed to bring alcohol so the zoo staff might want to address the issue as well.
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Solution #5
During this situation it is important to remember the code of ethics and be the responsible adult, not matter what the others call you. During a field trip it is important that you remain alert and responsible at all times. Save the drinking for your own free time and not when your students are in your care.
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Solution #6
As a teacher children safety comes first. Let that parent call you names but let the principal now about the drinking on a field trip to protect yourself and bring attention to the possible negligence of parent chaperon.
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Solution #7
It is important to remember that as a teacher you are responsible for the students. You should remind the parent that the behavior they are demonstrating is not acceptable and continue to check on the students. After checking on the students you should contact administration to notify them of the parent with the alcoholic beverage on the field trip and allow them to make any further decisions on handling this issue.
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Solution #8
We try to teach our students to not fall into peer pressure and to do the right thing even when no one is looking. As teachers, we are in the light as an example to everyone. I would rather have parents calling me names because I would not drink with them, then my students learn about doing something like that. It is definitely not worth losing a job over but more importantly, it is not worth losing the student's respect over.
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Solution #9
Remember that checking the students before having the drink will keep protocol and most likely the job! Resist the urge and check on the students, finish the job through before relaxing.
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Solution #10
you continue to follow the code of ethics and do not have a drink no matter what parents are saying. I would also remind the parents that all the chaperones for the trip are there for the students safety and drinking can hinder them from being able to do their responsibilities.
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Solution #11
I would refuses the drink and report the parent for their behavior.
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Solution #12
Let them know that you are uninterested in partaking in these activities, and know in your heart that you are doing the right thing. You shouldn't let peer pressure control you.
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Solution #13
I would report the situation to another colleague and explain to the teacher about alcohol during a school event is not acceptable.
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Solution #14
I would refuse the drink, and let the parent know that the behavior in inappropriate. Not only are you putting the students at risk (anything could happen), you are putting your job at risk.
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Solution #15
Remind the parents how this is inappropriate and shut it down there. If they do not listen contact the school immediately and update them on the situation that is happening and ask your supervisor where to go from there.
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Solution #16
Even if the teacher drinks, an easy way to avoid this situation is to inform the parent that they do not drink but are willing to sit and talk to them.
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Solution #17
You continue on with your "JOB" it is not worth a few comments for you to fail to complete your duty as a teacher. Remember you are on that field trip as the leader and an educator. I personally would not do something to jeopardize my job such as that. The parents should not even have brought beer on the trip to begin with being it is a school function.
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Solution #18
There is nothing worth losing your job and destroying your career over. Every time the parent called me a name I would take into consideration how long it took to complete and receive my degree(s) and think about the student loans that gonna take forever to pay back! Therefore, drinking wouldn't even be on the list!

I would just state its inappropriate to be drinking at a school function. They don't warrant a reasons why I'm not drinking on a school field trip.

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