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AIBU?

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Original poster

School trip tragedy - prosecutors trying to overturn not guilty verdict of teachers

111 replies

Fairydustandsparklylights · 30/05/2024 21:15

It was a horrendous tragedy where a beautiful child lost her life. Parents want the teachers to be found guilty as they want / need someone to blame to try and come to terms with what happened.

Looking after other people’s children is a huge responsibility and not a “freebie” holiday. As a teacher, I refuse to do trips and I have many problems at work because of it. Parents complain of a lack of residential trips. This accident now means that 3 teachers have been dragged through court and their personal lives (and their children’s lives) destroyed in the process.

link here https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13475399/amp/French-prosecutors-begin-fight-overturn-decision-clear-three-British-teachers-manslaughter-Jessica-Lawson-12-drowned-lake-school-trip.html

How can they be held responsible for a pontoon collapsing? Why do parents think that the teachers are having a jolly when supervising many teenagers abroad? If the child was with her parents when it happened, they wouldn’t have been prosecuted for manslaughter. Why are teachers different?

Aibu to say that school trips should be banned completely? This way parents can be the ones to take their children for different experiences. Many would miss out but this is the only way to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

France fights to overturn clearing Brits' names of girl's manslaughter

Prosecutors have begun an appeal after three teachers from England were cleared of the manslaughter of a British schoolgirl who drowned during a school trip to France.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13475399/amp/French-prosecutors-begin-fight-overturn-decision-clear-three-British-teachers-manslaughter-Jessica-Lawson-12-drowned-lake-school-trip.html

OP posts:
soupfiend · 30/05/2024 21:41

Yes I was just going to say that about risk assessments, they dont remove risk, just put in place plans to mitigate risk.

Is the lack of a risk assessment really what would lead to someone being prosecuted for manslaughter though? Do parents do risk assessments each time they do an activity?

oObyeOo · 30/05/2024 21:39

I teach outdoor education and I’m the lead of learning outside the classroom in my school. I obviously see huge benefits in lotc. I would not want to see them banned.

Risk assessments are there to reduce risk, but risk will always be there. It’s important to reduce it as much as possible, but you can’t make it disappear

soupfiend · 30/05/2024 21:39

Totally agree with you. Im not a teacher but I know if I was I would refuse to do these trips.

If parents want their children to go on the trips, they will have to come and supervise their children

letsgoglamping · 30/05/2024 21:34

I remember that too @Spirallingdownwards Sad

letsgoglamping · 30/05/2024 21:34

What a sad story. I’m sure the teachers were devastated. Prosecuting them isn’t going to do any good and I can’t see that they did anything wrong at all, it’s just an awful tragedy.

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 30/05/2024 21:33

This is a large part of the reason why I now refuse to take school trips abroad.

Spirallingdownwards · 30/05/2024 21:31

I suspect they proceeded against teachers on the basis that they should have carried out risk assessments for school trips. However as you say they were acquitted.

I would have thought that the owners of the lake would be liable if anyone for not ensuring the pontoon didn't flip

I remember the terrible Lands End case over here years back because the headteacher there had been a teacher of mine and was the nicest bloke you could have ever known. It broke him and he left the profession.

BurbageBrook · 30/05/2024 21:30

Totally, totally agree with you.

Original poster
Fairydustandsparklylights · 30/05/2024 21:27

They shouldn’t have been prosecuted to begin with IMO.

Have you ever heard of a situation in which a child passes away in a drowning accident (lake / pontoon collapsing / pool) where parents are prosecuted for manslaughter? So why are the teachers any different?

It would impact under privileged children and they will ultimately lose out. However, why should teachers risk their freedom / livelihoods / personal lives and the impact it has on their own families and children? Accidents happen, sad but true.

OP posts:
BurbageBrook · 30/05/2024 21:25

Awful tragedy and I totally agree. The teachers didn't do anything wrong. It's a horrific thing. I think the pontoon company may hold some responsibility or the lifeguard but there doesn't seem to be anything to suggest the teachers were at fault.

PlantDoctor · 30/05/2024 21:20

Awful tragedy. I don't know the story, but assuming the teachers were not guilty, then they should not be dragged over coals again.

But YABU to say school trips should be banned. Like many other underprivileged kids, I wouldn't have had the chance to do a lot of things, including going abroad but even just days out in different parts of the country, if schools were not able to take kids out. Accidents can unfortunately happen whether parents or teachers are in charge.

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