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AIBU?

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Original poster

Child unwell on school trip

334 replies

G172125 · 03/04/2024 19:43

My son is currently on a school trip to Disneyland. He started to feel unwell with stomach pains and vomiting. He got split up from he’s group and was left alone in Disney village. I managed to get hold of the teacher to let her know and she said she would go to him. My son then text me and said she said she Can’t go to him because she is queuing for a ride. Nobody bothered to go look for my son for two hours. Aibu to make a complaint about this and take it further?

OP posts:
Capmagturk · 03/04/2024 22:02

These comments are mental. The teachers are still to look out for their pupils welfare on a trip abroad when they are under 18 and an ill child alone should be a priority because he is a child. He should never have been left for two hours and yes I would be complaining, it's totally negligent. What if it was appendicitis or something? Some of you are completely devoid of empathy.

Original poster
G172125 · 03/04/2024 21:58

Garrie · 03/04/2024 21:55

Disneyland ain't a holiday for no one

Maybe I was a bit harsh describing it as a holiday for the teachers but I’m amazed that they thought queuing for a ride was more of a priority then Seeing to a sick child in there care

OP posts:
dapsnotplimsolls · 03/04/2024 21:57

Teacher here. One of the members of staff on the trip should have gone to make sure he was ok. I'd ask the school what the risk assessment said about pupils being ill when at the park.

RobinStrike · 03/04/2024 21:56

OP I would be horrified if this happened to my child. A 16 year old who is ill away from home still needs help and I'm sure mine would have called me in this situation too. I have been on school trips and there should always have been someone available to go to someone feeling ill and who couldn't move due to vomiting. Is he ok now? His confidence will have been shaken will being left alone feeling vulnerable. I'd be upset with his friends too for leaving him.
Does he get home tomorrow? I hope he's feeling better and is happy when he gets home. I would definitely be asking about their risk assessments and how things were dealt with. Good luck going forward. I hope your son is happy when he gets back.

MrsMariaReynolds · 03/04/2024 21:55

crumblingschools · 03/04/2024 19:57

Did he think Disney was more important than GCSEs?

Ffs 🙄

Garrie · 03/04/2024 21:55

Disneyland ain't a holiday for no one

Original poster
G172125 · 03/04/2024 21:55

Zanatdy · 03/04/2024 21:50

I asked my DD if she wanted to go to Disney for 3 days at Easter and then answer was a big no, she’s revising all the time now

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You must be so proud of your perfect child

OP posts:
cakewench · 03/04/2024 21:53

"Too busy on her holiday" oh boy, indeed. I can't wait for my week long holiday with a bunch of 10/11 yr olds next month! 😂

paddlinglikecrazy · 03/04/2024 21:51

Your poor lad, I’m glad he’s feeling better now. I think one of the teachers should’ve gone to him sooner for sure, especially as the hotel was a coach ride away and he couldn’t just take himself off to lie down, just sit on his own feeling awful 😞

Zanatdy · 03/04/2024 21:50

BeaLola · 03/04/2024 21:32

I hope your son is ok

Haven't read the full thread (I know) but as a Mum of a year 11 DS I am amazed they have a school trip right now when it's GCSEs in May

I asked my DD if she wanted to go to Disney for 3 days at Easter and then answer was a big no, she’s revising all the time now

MorningSunshineSparkles · 03/04/2024 21:49

Initially I was with you, thinking a poor wee child was left alone for two hours. The lads 16, not exactly an emergency. He could have gone to them himself

Hatty65 · 03/04/2024 21:49

Fleurdalys · 03/04/2024 21:25

Are you kidding?
Have you ever been a teacher taking young folk abroad?
Holiday my arse
He's 16 ffs

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I agreee @Fleurdalys It's not a holiday!

9 teachers gave up part of their Easter holidays to go to fucking Disneyland with a bunch of teenagers????

They deserve a medal. I've never known a school where this would happen. How many kids have gone on the trip? Because they've clearly taken hundreds when you know what the ratio of teacher to student will be at this age.

But silly complaints from parents are top of the list as to why teachers don't want to go on school trips. They aren't 'jollies' despite what many people think.

Blythe1973 · 03/04/2024 21:49

crumblingschools · 03/04/2024 19:57

Did he think Disney was more important than GCSEs?

What has this got to do with the OP's issue?

Zanatdy · 03/04/2024 21:48

Yes it was wrong for no-one to go to him for 2hrs. Prioritising a ride isn’t the right thing to do when you’re there in a professional capacity

AndReaderHeMarriedMyFriend · 03/04/2024 21:46

G172125 · 03/04/2024 19:49

He went to the toilets to vomit and when he came out everyone was gone. Yes he’s 16 and not a baby but surely the teachers are there to look after the children and not on a free holiday. She was sent he’s location and he didn’t move from that spot because he was in agony and embarrassed

Our recent school trip abroad, (16, 17 and 18 year olds ) kids had to stay in groups of 2 or 3 at all times, and if there was an issue, the adult in charge was there to deal with it .
Which included taking two or three of them to hospital, with various illnesses, at one point.

Original poster
G172125 · 03/04/2024 21:44

Londonrach1 · 03/04/2024 21:42

  1. I wouldn't expect a teacher to look after him. I bet he prefer to be in the hotel room anyway. Hope he feels better soon

Im sure if the hotel wasn’t a 20minute drive from from the park he would of taken himself there

OP posts:
Clafoutie · 03/04/2024 21:44

BathroomReDesign · 03/04/2024 21:33

@G172125 i don’t understand peoples behaviour towards you. The teachers are there to look after the children and a sick child and a mum contacting me concerned about a child would absolutely have me leaving the queue to go and see.

I completely agree. I can’t believe a teacher wouldn’t go and check on him as a priority. It may not be serious, but it could be, and although not a child, he isn’t yet an adult. Surely there’s some duty of care there.

Londonrach1 · 03/04/2024 21:42
  1. I wouldn't expect a teacher to look after him. I bet he prefer to be in the hotel room anyway. Hope he feels better soon
Clafoutie · 03/04/2024 21:41

XelaM · 03/04/2024 20:07

Omg at 16 calling his mum in another country instead of the teacher/his friends/going to medical centre etc etc etc. This is ridiculous and quite embarrassing for a 16-year-old not being able to deal with this himself

I think that’s harsh. At 16, you still sometimes need to speak to your Mum when you’re ill and away from home.

fungipie · 03/04/2024 21:39

All those parks have got an Infirmary with qualified staff.

LakeTiticaca · 03/04/2024 21:39

On an arranged trip those in charge have a duty of care whatever age the children are.
If something bad happened to one of the 16 year old, that teacher would be in very serious trouble. So yes, you should absolutely be speaking to the school about it

TheFormidableMrsC · 03/04/2024 21:39

OP, setting aside a lot of the weird responses on this thread, I think that I'd probably ask for a debrief with the teacher in charge. You don't necessarily need to complain now things have calmed but I do think there should be a plan in place for when a child is sick and what the drill is. He's 16, he's not a baby of course but still horrible and scary being ill away from home and feeling abandoned to boot. I work in primary and there is always a designated person on trips. I realise this is a bit different though. I hope he gets back safe and sound, poor chap!

LynetteScavo · 03/04/2024 21:37

"I'd thank the staff for looking after my I'll child. I'd probably give them all a bottle of Prosecco to help them recover."

When I posted his I meant help the staff recover, not the vomiting DCGrin

GNR2022 · 03/04/2024 21:36

titchy · 03/04/2024 19:49

What country are you in? Presumably not the UK given upcoming exams.

Unless Disneyland has moved to the UK, you presume correct..

TheFormidableMrsC · 03/04/2024 21:33

BeaLola · 03/04/2024 21:32

I hope your son is ok

Haven't read the full thread (I know) but as a Mum of a year 11 DS I am amazed they have a school trip right now when it's GCSEs in May

Year 11's in my DS's school are on a 3 day trip but in the UK. I presume it's to give them a bit of a boost pre exams. My son is Yr 8 so imagine it will be same for him and I'd be ok with that.