to think teachers should not be drinking when on a school trip?

[KimbettyBooBah]

DD (14) came back from her school France trip saying that the teachers had been drinking beer at lunch time, and one time in the evening too.

AIBU to be angry about this?

[mamaitaly]

Those poor teachers. They give up their spare time, unpaid, with the responsibiliity of lots of teenagers and instead of a word of appreciation, OP posts at her 'anger' at them having a beer. We will soon become a society where teachers won't provide these extra but hugely important opportunities. I believe teacher's unions are already recommending this.

[Schooldidi]

I've been on 2 school trips abroad as a teacher and I had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner most evenings. One of us was always the designated non-drinker (the teacher in charge actually as her French is better than the rest of us so is better equipped to deal with a proper emergency) but none of the rest of us were even vaguely tipsy.

[spg1983]

I went abroad on an exchange trip and during the weekend there's only one member of staff "on call" as the pupils stay with host families - we all take turns to do this. I bumped into a pupil on one of these weekends and happened to be eating a meal with a glass of wine. The pupil came over for a chat and all seemed ok but then 10 mins later I got a call from my boss saying he'd just had a phone call from this child's parents to say their daughter had just bumped into me and I was steaming drunk! I literally had 1 drink and wasn't even on duty anyway but this child was either determined to get me into trouble or was totally unfamiliar with the idea of having a drink with a meal and not binge drinking. Not the kind of treatment I'd hope for when giving up 2 weeks' worth of evenings and weekends without my family with no extra pay or even any recompense for expenses.

[Gempoo]

I think this is outrageous as I assume they are being paid to be there and in the case of an emergency even being tipsy could impair their ability to offer the best protection. Surely they have a duty of care towards the children and are supposed to be role models!

[spg1983]

No Gempoo teachers are not paid for any time on trips outside of the normal school day and often incur extra expense because of it. The rules at our school are that at least 1 teacher doesn't drink at all and the others have no more than 1 drink. We also don't knowingly drink in front of pupils.

[seeker]

You are, I assume, being ironic, gempoo?

[Hulababy]

Gempoo.
No the teachers will only be being paid for their ordinary school hours and no more.The rest of the time is given for free.

[Thewhingingdefective]

Unless they were all in their cups YABU. I have been on school trips as a staff member (although I am not a teacher) where the teachers have had a drink, but it is never to excess and there is always one person that doesn't drink.

[SugariceisaGoodEgg]

It wouldn't bother me as long as the teacher wasn't mullered.

When mine went on their residential trips at primary dh went as a parent helper on all three trips. There was a bar and the adults had a drink in the evening when they did the evening activities, not a problem in my eyes.

at ds1's year 11 leaving prom [ 3 years ago] the french teacher was bladdered!

[Airwalk79]

I remember going to Spain with school. We had some vodka taken off us, the teachers drank it, and we had to sit out of the activity doing nothing on the next table as punishment. And they deserved it looking back!


Never did find out what happened to the pot they confiscated though!

[hackmum]

In other European countries, teachers are paid if they take a trip like this. They think we're mad because we expect teachers to do it for nothing.

I think a glass of wine or beer with a meal is fine, as long as one teacher remains completely sober.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

I don't think it's the same as drinking at home with my children. The situation is different.

[ScarletLady02]

I remember going on a school trip once (we were GCSE Geography students - so 15-16) and two of our teachers who were great, decided to play a trick on us. They pretended they'd both had tattoos (covered with clingfilm etc) and we TOTALLY bought it...they got a bit pissed in the evening as well. There were other teachers who weren't drinking though.

It was a wicked school trip actually.

[Panzee]

Our sixth form history trips always involved teachers and students getting hammered in the hotel bar. Best not think about that OP. :o

[thebody]

Don't be so bloody daft.

I can't understand why teachers do trips, the responsibility is huge and this all done unpaid. Can you imagine any other job where adults would take on so much responsibility for free? I can't!

Also op as children like your 14 year old dd get to late teens they can legally drink in many countries so its really the teachers responsibility to go with them to pubs to make sure they are ok.

Children need to see adults drinking responsibly.

[Bue]

DH is currently in France on his own holiday time with a group of 70 teenagers. While fun for teachers as well as students, these trips are bloody hard work. If the school then imposed a rule that all the teachers had to be teetotal in Paris for a week, I doubt they'd find anyone to volunteer to go!

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

OP get a grip and then thank this teachers for giving up their time to look after your DD. I take it her behaviour was impeccable whilst on the trip? DH takes trips abroad, mainly France and Italy and the hostel where they stay serves wine with the evening meal to staff daily. He has 1 with his meal as do his colleagues and then he spends the rest of his evening/night stopping hormonal teens from sneaking into each others rooms. Don't send your DD next time if your so concerned.

[simplesusan]

I wouldn't begrudge anyone a glass or two of alcohol if they are looking after a group of teenagers.

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

OP it's people like you that put teachers off doing residential activities.

[Sirzy]

I think that they are demonstrating sensible drinking which to that age group is quite a good role thing to witness.

[malinois]

YABU, what you are describing sounds remarkably subdued compared to our school trips in the 80s.

Ski trips, history trips to WWI battlefields and Berlin - all inevitably
involved pupils and teachers getting completely hammered/stoned/shagged. Absolute mayhem

[N0tinmylife]

Personally I think anyone who is willing to look after a group of other peoples children for days at a time 24/7 deserves a medal. I certainly wouldn't have a problem with a couple of drinks!

[CinnabarRed]

I've noticed this odd attitude to alcohol on MN before (the dry wedding thread, for example) - some people find it impossible to imagine drinking without getting drunk. No idea why.

[ChippingInIsEggceptional]

I'd have given the teacher a couple of bottles to take with him/her!

Some parents are beyond belief.