Elementary school teachers

We'll see how things shake out tomorrow—they’re heading to the movie theater, and there’s a chance they might actually honor that $1.75 discount on the tickets after all. 🤷

I'm a bit lost here—I see we have a teacher in this thread, so maybe they can weigh in. What’s the deal with schools constantly organizing these trips? And of course, there's always a fee involved.
The OP mentioned that in just one week, they went to a museum and a movie theater. 😕
What kind of tactic is that?
Is this actually part of the official curriculum?

And what is a parent supposed to do? If you don't cough up the cash—even though it's technically optional—your kid ends up missing out on those experiences with their peers. Plus, you run the risk of them getting teased by other kids for being "poor," and let's be honest, kids can be pretty ruthless.
If you do pay, you're basically encouraging all these unnecessary "field trips" that seem to be pushed more and more often lately.

I really don't get why all these outings have to cost money.
Someone above mentioned how parents are complaining because it's bad if kids aren't taken anywhere—but why can't they just visit a library? Or some local landmark that doesn't require a huge expense?
I feel like two trips a year is plenty, which is how it used to be back in my day; everything else stayed local.
Nowadays, there are plenty of theater troupes that come directly to schools or preschools to perform—that's definitely a much cheaper solution than driving kids to a theater and paying for buses and stuff.

But things won't change if we parents just keep footing the bill for every single trip the school dreams up, whether it's necessary or not.
(I'm speaking from experience here; I have three nephews who were all in elementary school until recently, so I know how this works. It was constant—always needing money for something at school! And don't even get me started on the whole thing where kids are pressured to buy certain magazines, like Scholastic something or other, just because they'll be used for homework assignments. I mean, seriously, wtf? As if they don't already have enough books. It's not like they're short on reading material, yet we're expected to pay extra for more?)

Peter Doyle2 said:I'm a bit lost here—I see we have a teacher in this thread, so maybe they can weigh in. What’s the deal with schools constantly organizing these trips? And of course, there's always a fee involved.
The OP mentioned that in just one week, they went to a museum and a movie theater. 😕
What kind of tactic is that?
Is this actually part of the official curriculum?

And what is a parent supposed to do? If you don't cough up the cash—even though it's technically optional—your kid ends up missing out on those experiences with their peers. Plus, you run the risk of them getting teased by other kids for being "poor," and let's be honest, kids can be pretty ruthless.
If you do pay, you're basically encouraging all these unnecessary "field trips" that seem to be pushed more and more often lately.

I really don't get why all these outings have to cost money.
Someone above mentioned how parents are complaining because it's bad if kids aren't taken anywhere—but why can't they just visit a library? Or some local landmark that doesn't require a huge expense?
I feel like two trips a year is plenty, which is how it used to be back in my day; everything else stayed local.
Nowadays, there are plenty of theater troupes that come directly to schools or preschools to perform—that's definitely a much cheaper solution than driving kids to a theater and paying for buses and stuff.

But things won't change if we parents just keep footing the bill for every single trip the school dreams up, whether it's necessary or not.
(I'm speaking from experience here; I have three nephews who were all in elementary school until recently, so I know how this works. It was constant—always needing money for something at school! And don't even get me started on the whole thing where kids are pressured to buy certain magazines, like Scholastic something or other, just because they'll be used for homework assignments. I mean, seriously, wtf? As if they don't already have enough books. It's not like they're short on reading material, yet we're expected to pay extra for more?)

Signature🙂

I would attend the next PTA meeting and bring up the issue of these frequent, expensive extracurricular trips directly to the other parents. I doubt the author would be alone in voicing this concern.

Sandra Lopez2 said:Signature🙂

I would attend the next PTA meeting and bring up the issue of these frequent, expensive extracurricular trips directly to the other parents. I doubt the author would be alone in voicing this concern.

Totally!
That’s exactly how I’ll handle things when my kid starts school if I run into similar situations.
If the school refuses to budge—and goodness knows there are local school boards and even the Department of Education for a reason—then I’d love to see the official curriculum that somehow mandates paying out of pocket to go see Harry Potter at the movie theater 😳 (which is what my little ones ended up seeing—so, it wasn't exactly essential or tied to any actual schoolwork)

So, I guess all those school field trips during the year really need to be officially listed in the annual curriculum and program that gets approved right at the start of the school year, and they definitely have to have a legitimate educational purpose or some kind of reason behind them, especially if they're organizing trips outside of our local town. If anything were to happen while the kids are out on one of those trips, the school basically needs to have total coverage explaining why they went and where they were headed, because if a trip isn't part of the official yearly program and teachers decide to take students along anyway, the school could end up facing some seriously massive legal trouble or sanctions.
I mean, just so we don't get too carried away with the rules, since sales have started popping up all over Chicago, you might have some teachers from the rural outskirts using parent money to refresh their wardrobes or maybe pick up some Christmas presents for under the tree.

Jamie Hill18 said:So, I guess all those school field trips during the year really need to be officially listed in the annual curriculum and program that gets approved right at the start of the school year, and they definitely have to have a legitimate educational purpose or some kind of reason behind them, especially if they're organizing trips outside of our local town. If anything were to happen while the kids are out on one of those trips, the school basically needs to have total coverage explaining why they went and where they were headed, because if a trip isn't part of the official yearly program and teachers decide to take students along anyway, the school could end up facing some seriously massive legal trouble or sanctions.
I mean, just so we don't get too carried away with the rules, since sales have started popping up all over Chicago, you might have some teachers from the rural outskirts using parent money to refresh their wardrobes or maybe pick up some Christmas presents for under the tree.

This is honestly beyond rude. Oh, sure, I am just sitting here dying to have the responsibility of twenty-plus kids on my hands just so I can squeeze in some retail therapy. It is truly mind-boggling how some people operate.
If you aren't feeling it, then don't send your kid on the field trip—especially when they won't actually see anything meaningful because the teacher is basically just using the outing as a cover for a shopping spree.

Anthony Gray said:This is honestly beyond rude. Oh, sure, I am just sitting here dying to have the responsibility of twenty-plus kids on my hands just so I can squeeze in some retail therapy. It is truly mind-boggling how some people operate.
If you aren't feeling it, then don't send your kid on the field trip—especially when they won't actually see anything meaningful because the teacher is basically just using the outing as a cover for a shopping spree.

I agree, it's disrespectful.
Some parents are constantly spinning conspiracy theories and looking for any excuse to claim someone is "freeloading" off them.👎

Jamie Hill18... honestly, this post is a mess.
Do you even think before you type?

At first I thought she was being passive-aggressive toward the teacher, but now I'm thinking she probably just said it that way so the kid wouldn't feel guilty about taking her money. It was more like a loan—the child will pay her back, and honestly, I bet the teacher doesn't even care that much about it...
Just tell her straight up during your next chat: "I don't have it right now, but I'll pay you back as soon as I can." Depending on how she reacts to that, you'll know what to do next...

Jamie Hill18 said:So, I guess all those school field trips during the year really need to be officially listed in the annual curriculum and program that gets approved right at the start of the school year, and they definitely have to have a legitimate educational purpose or some kind of reason behind them, especially if they're organizing trips outside of our local town. If anything were to happen while the kids are out on one of those trips, the school basically needs to have total coverage explaining why they went and where they were headed, because if a trip isn't part of the official yearly program and teachers decide to take students along anyway, the school could end up facing some seriously massive legal trouble or sanctions.
I mean, just so we don't get too carried away with the rules, since sales have started popping up all over Chicago, you might have some teachers from the rural outskirts using parent money to refresh their wardrobes or maybe pick up some Christmas presents for under the tree.

The last part of that post is a bit crude and I don't agree with it. I'm not trying to accuse teachers of stealing, but I do stand by everything else said.
My kid's teacher told us at the PTA meeting that everything is strictly by the book—everything gets logged.

Peter Doyle2 said:I'm a bit lost here—I see we have a teacher in this thread, so maybe they can weigh in. What’s the deal with schools constantly organizing these trips? And of course, there's always a fee involved.
The OP mentioned that in just one week, they went to a museum and a movie theater. 😕
What kind of tactic is that?
Is this actually part of the official curriculum?

And what is a parent supposed to do? If you don't cough up the cash—even though it's technically optional—your kid ends up missing out on those experiences with their peers. Plus, you run the risk of them getting teased by other kids for being "poor," and let's be honest, kids can be pretty ruthless.
If you do pay, you're basically encouraging all these unnecessary "field trips" that seem to be pushed more and more often lately.

I really don't get why all these outings have to cost money.
Someone above mentioned how parents are complaining because it's bad if kids aren't taken anywhere—but why can't they just visit a library? Or some local landmark that doesn't require a huge expense?
I feel like two trips a year is plenty, which is how it used to be back in my day; everything else stayed local.
Nowadays, there are plenty of theater troupes that come directly to schools or preschools to perform—that's definitely a much cheaper solution than driving kids to a theater and paying for buses and stuff.

But things won't change if we parents just keep footing the bill for every single trip the school dreams up, whether it's necessary or not.
(I'm speaking from experience here; I have three nephews who were all in elementary school until recently, so I know how this works. It was constant—always needing money for something at school! And don't even get me started on the whole thing where kids are pressured to buy certain magazines, like Scholastic something or other, just because they'll be used for homework assignments. I mean, seriously, wtf? As if they don't already have enough books. It's not like they're short on reading material, yet we're expected to pay extra for more?)

Exactly. 👍

I know not every teacher is the same, obviously. But I still remember my old teacher bragging to anyone who would listen about how much she "traveled" with her students on the school's dime. She’d act like she saw the whole world, conveniently forgetting that the parents were the ones footing the bill for every single mile. ☕Basically, the parents paid for her career highlights.

At our PTA meetings, we actually debate things. We discuss whether we agree or disagree on everything except the mandatory stuff already set in the curriculum—you know, the "this is required" rules. How many times have I seen parents just sit there, muttering under their breath? I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging, but I’m not staying quiet. It’s my life, my kid, and my decisions. When they ask if anyone has questions, I’m raising my hand. If something isn't clear or if I have an opinion, I say it. Honestly, there's a lot of responsibility on us parents.
But like Luna said, nothing changes by staying silent.
Why is silence still such a thing in our society? Why do we act like someone else is going to step up and fix everything? They won't. Change starts with us.
If there's something that needs to be said, we're the ones who should say it.

Jamie Hill18 said:So, I guess all those school field trips during the year really need to be officially listed in the annual curriculum and program that gets approved right at the start of the school year, and they definitely have to have a legitimate educational purpose or some kind of reason behind them, especially if they're organizing trips outside of our local town. If anything were to happen while the kids are out on one of those trips, the school basically needs to have total coverage explaining why they went and where they were headed, because if a trip isn't part of the official yearly program and teachers decide to take students along anyway, the school could end up facing some seriously massive legal trouble or sanctions.
I mean, just so we don't get too carried away with the rules, since sales have started popping up all over Chicago, you might have some teachers from the rural outskirts using parent money to refresh their wardrobes or maybe pick up some Christmas presents for under the tree.

Truly😲, a sophisticated and highly intellectual contribution.😲😲😲
I wonder what kind of chicken-brained individual could possibly conceive this...🤷
I am referring specifically to the last two lines.

One more thing... most of us here are parents, right? Which means we’ve all lived through our 20s—some of us did that ages ago, some in their 30s... some even in their 40s... 😲🤣...and honestly, no matter how hard I try to recall all the field trips we took back in grade school, it’s all just a blur. Most of those trips don't even register. What actually sticks? A few gifts, some surprises, and getting a bad grade on a test! 😍

Look, I get it—it’s nice for kids to experience different things, but taking them to a museum? For most people, that information is going to evaporate from their brains almost immediately. Ask them in 10, 15, or 20 years what they saw at the museum on December 7th, 2011, and I bet you anything they’ll first argue about whether that was even the right year, let alone remember the museum itself. But damn, they'll definitely remember McDonald's. 🙂😁

Because that's the stuff that actually pulls them in!

Even looking back at my own last three and a half years of schooling, I can barely remember where we went. I know we went to a Small town in New England for a festival, but beyond that, someone kill me, because I have no clue where else we traveled.

So if I can't remember, how on earth are these kids supposed to? And we're paying for all of this.

And now, in May, they’re heading to the beach. For what? Sure, there are kids who have never seen the ocean, but there are plenty of adults out there who grew up without seeing it either, and did they die? No. There are also people who finally saw the coast once they were independent and paying their own way.

So why are we coddling the youth now, acting like they have to see and experience absolutely everything? I just don't get it.

I see so many parents actually taking out loans just to fund these school trips! It's pathetic. All so their kid won't feel left out or get mocked by the rest of the class. And really, the fault lies with an education system that allows that kind of social pressure to exist in the first place!

Oh, and something else just popped into my head—back in 6th grade, we had a visit from Krampus and Nicholas. Fine, I don't have a problem with it; we didn't go anywhere, we just got some candy. But I nearly lost my mind at home when he told me Krampus had scattered everyone's erasers all over the floor to show how "naughty" they were. I swear, I wanted to hunt him down! 🙂 I bought colored pencils, art supplies, highlighters, and rulers for the kid. So far, I haven't seen much damage, but for a lot of other kids, their supplies ended up scattered across the entire classroom. Seriously, where is the school system even headed?? 🙂

We can go back and forth about field trips all day, but honestly, I think the real issue is that Mom knew they were hitting up McDonald's the night before and should’ve seen this coming.
Either he stays home or she hands over the cash—there really isn't a middle ground there if you want to look out for him.

It feels like Mom is feeling pretty guilty right now, so she's trying to pin the blame on the teacher, even though she could have planned ahead the night before.

From where I'm standing, the teacher handled a messy situation as best as anyone could, and it's just not fair to let the little guy carry all this stress; everything landed on his shoulders, so Mom and the teacher should probably just settle it between themselves.

velvettrucker52 said:No, let’s get one thing straight: this thread isn’t going to devolve into a repetitive "How can you afford high-speed internet but not an Apple?" debate. I’m asking you all nicely to please refrain from those kinds of comments.

Thanks.
Just to be crystal clear regarding the Mac situation, I’ve already laid out all the details. If you actually read what I wrote, you won't need to ask.

As for the internet, we don't have a landline, DSL, or any cable package—we just rely on a USB dongle. It's a 5GB plan from Verizon $33 per month, $37 and honestly, I don't even pay for it; my boyfriend covers it. But living without internet these days is nearly impossible—there are always school assignments to download, digital books to grab ( 😁), plus I run a little side business selling things online—which brings in enough cash here and there to cover the monthly data bill. I also use it for music promotion. On top of that, I’m job hunting through email and sending out applications online (I save money by skipping the physical newspapers and classified ads), and I read all my news digitally since we don't bother buying print anything anymore.

Hopefully, that shuts down any more "But why?" or "How come?" questions.😉😉

Kenneth Brown5 said:We can go back and forth about field trips all day, but honestly, I think the real issue is that Mom knew they were hitting up McDonald's the night before and should’ve seen this coming.
Either he stays home or she hands over the cash—there really isn't a middle ground there if you want to look out for him.

It feels like Mom is feeling pretty guilty right now, so she's trying to pin the blame on the teacher, even though she could have planned ahead the night before.

From where I'm standing, the teacher handled a messy situation as best as anyone could, and it's just not fair to let the little guy carry all this stress; everything landed on his shoulders, so Mom and the teacher should probably just settle it between themselves.

Like I already said, she found out while she was actually buying his lunch. And she was pissed because they didn't even ask for parental permission—they just did it on the sly, tucked away under a desk or something. It’s just not right.

And again, I’ve made my point: my kid is officially off the hook for kitchen duty now. I figure if I hand over the cash, the teacher can just check with the school office to see how I can afford McDonald's but apparently don't have enough for the kitchen fees!

The kitchen fee is probably $80 or $30, I can't remember the exact amount, but this whole trip is only about $60 total. That's practically the same price as the kitchen fee, and honestly, he'll end up eating most of it anyway. Even if he's a tiny thing—what, under 65 pounds?—it still adds up. 😢

It's a double-edged Mac.

Kenneth Brown5 said:We can go back and forth about field trips all day, but honestly, I think the real issue is that Mom knew they were hitting up McDonald's the night before and should’ve seen this coming.
Either he stays home or she hands over the cash—there really isn't a middle ground there if you want to look out for him.

It feels like Mom is feeling pretty guilty right now, so she's trying to pin the blame on the teacher, even though she could have planned ahead the night before.

From where I'm standing, the teacher handled a messy situation as best as anyone could, and it's just not fair to let the little guy carry all this stress; everything landed on his shoulders, so Mom and the teacher should probably just settle it between themselves.

Protect him from what, exactly? From people noticing that a certain family can't afford McShit? Or from being teased by other kids?

If you ask me, her son is perfectly aware of their financial situation and the fact they don't have money for nonsense like Mc...

Why should she deny her child the trip just because she can't shell out about $20$10 for something that isn't even necessary (I mean, what kind of "experience" does a trip to McDonald's actually provide?)?

What kind of message are we sending the kid? Basically: "Every time you run short on cash, we’re going to isolate you just to make sure nobody hurts your feelings."

I completely agree with Luna!

This isn't even about the money—it's about the principle!

And Kimberly Robinson2, I'm with you on your last post too; I also don't see why a child needs to see and have everything.

Kimberly Robinson2 said:Thanks.
Just to be crystal clear regarding the Mac situation, I’ve already laid out all the details. If you actually read what I wrote, you won't need to ask.

As for the internet, we don't have a landline, DSL, or any cable package—we just rely on a USB dongle. It's a 5GB plan from Verizon $33 per month, $37 and honestly, I don't even pay for it; my boyfriend covers it. But living without internet these days is nearly impossible—there are always school assignments to download, digital books to grab ( 😁), plus I run a little side business selling things online—which brings in enough cash here and there to cover the monthly data bill. I also use it for music promotion. On top of that, I’m job hunting through email and sending out applications online (I save money by skipping the physical newspapers and classified ads), and I read all my news digitally since we don't bother buying print anything anymore.

Hopefully, that shuts down any more "But why?" or "How come?" questions.😉😉

To me, buying magazines or sending expensive texts costs way more than paying for the internet, which—let's be honest—is a necessity... the other day my daughter had a school trip about nature and coastal elevations... if we didn't have internet, neither of us would have known the answer. Bottom line: you need internet. More than a cell phone, honestly.🙂
I hear you. People who don't get it just don't get it.

Kimberly Robinson2 said:Like I already said, she found out while she was actually buying his lunch. And she was pissed because they didn't even ask for parental permission—they just did it on the sly, tucked away under a desk or something. It’s just not right.

And again, I’ve made my point: my kid is officially off the hook for kitchen duty now. I figure if I hand over the cash, the teacher can just check with the school office to see how I can afford McDonald's but apparently don't have enough for the kitchen fees!

The kitchen fee is probably $80 or $30, I can't remember the exact amount, but this whole trip is only about $60 total. That's practically the same price as the kitchen fee, and honestly, he'll end up eating most of it anyway. Even if he's a tiny thing—what, under 65 pounds?—it still adds up. 😢

It's a double-edged Mac.

We get free school meals for our kid, yet nobody asks where I'm getting the money for $17 the field trip... I want my child to experience this, and if I have the money, I'll spend it. I'm not worrying about what people might say.

Good grief, the sheer volume of comments here is staggering. I can’t say I’m surprised that nobody wants to pursue a degree that leads to a career in education—whether you're aiming to be a teacher or a professor lately.🙄

From what I understand, kids generally enjoy going to the theater, the movies, field trips, or even hitting up McDonald's... personally, I loved those things when I was their age. But teachers often seem reluctant to lead these excursions. It makes sense, doesn't it? Nobody actually wants to shoulder the heavy responsibility of babysitting a massive group of someone else's children.

The costs for these trips aren't astronomical, and most families can swing them. For those who can't afford it but still want their child to participate, there are always options for funding through agencies or simply via small individual contributions.

If anyone truly believes that field trips are excessive, unnecessary, or lack educational value—and therefore feels absolutely no obligation to send their child—well, they shouldn't. No one is going to force them. However, one has to wonder how that child will feel. They'll likely end up miserable because Mom won't let them go see Harry Potter at the cinema while everyone else is heading out. At that point, it’s up to that parent to explain to their child why they consider such experiences "unproductive."

I honestly don't see the point in debating whether there are too many trips. If you feel that way, just don't send your kid. Simple as that; no one can compel you otherwise. As for those comments suggesting professors are just using these trips to line their own pockets, I won't even dignify them with a response. They radiate such a level of primitive cynicism that they aren't even worth the breath.