Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that expensive school trips should be banned

654 replies

Nicola10 · 06/06/2013 20:03

Year 8 pupils have, today, left for a school trip to France. Very exciting for them, yes, considering that they will be going to a theme park, as well as educational stuff. But, for the rest of the kids, whose parents could not afford it, including my twins, they have to do normal lessons.

The cost for each child is £400 each!

OP posts:
unluckycat · 07/06/2013 09:20

Unlucky, the point is that it's not the poor kids v the rich kids. You don't have to be anywhere close to being rich to be able to afford one big trip for two children once each throughout their entire secondary school years.

The majority of us aren't rich, but can stretch to school trips. I really don't understand the mentality that thinks the many should miss out on enriching experiences because of the few, when the alternative for the few really isn't any more than a little disappointment.

*

You can't really have it both ways, it's just a bit of disappointment for those that miss out, well that suggests that the trip isn't actually that big a deal and thus can easily be scrapped or changed for a more affordable one. Oh, but wait, it's an unmissable enriching experience?? Well surely the kids sat in the classroom won't just be a little disappointed then...

Frankly these kids will be missing out enough as it in, I will not condone school being a place where that gets rubbed in their faces.

As I said before do it in the holidays. You can send the kids abroad without you if you can't afford the whole family. They don't actually have to miss out.

Ilovemyself · 07/06/2013 09:20

Sirchenjin. Please see my previous post. I don't deny some are in the situation you describe, but they could look at ways of raising the money rather than complaining

sillyname · 07/06/2013 09:22

Why can't the rich kids go without for once? About time surely.

After all life is unfair, why can't they suck it up like the poor kids.

Some of the selfish attitudes on this thread from those that have never had to go without, quite frankly stinks.

nilbyname · 07/06/2013 09:22

I just want to say I totally stand by what I have said.We are talking about state education which should be equal for all and schools and children/young people. That should be the aim. Great opportunities and experiences for everyone regardless of their circumstances. WE should make damn sure that a school can fund the 20-50 places they are offering on a "ski trip". I like the idea that all the children attending need to fund raise for the cost of the trip that IS a valuable life lesson, not "oh well my parents can afford it, tough luck yours can't"

I have been on school trips (France then Germany for exchange, and Italy for ski-ing) and I will be one of the lucky ones that can afford to say yes to the trips my kids might desire. But....this in no way should exempt me from working hard with the school to ensure that all the kids who strongly desire to attend one of these overseas trips can go. What a horrible attitude of "I'm alright jack" to have.

niceguy your name is a misnomer.

kelda · 07/06/2013 09:22

Car boot sales are fine but I disagree with sponsoring children to go on holiday.

It may have been great for your sister to go to Madagscar but most people don't experience a place like that in their lifetime, certainly not when someone else is paying for it.

SirChenjin · 07/06/2013 09:23

Raise the money how exactly? Did you see my post about fundraising?

defuse · 07/06/2013 09:24

Yanbu op. agree with hully too. Schools are supposed to be inclusive. I realise the importance of these trips for those who can - but then i think it should be limited to 1 trip and should be during holidays.

bettycocker · 07/06/2013 09:24

Yes, because all the people who don't want to pay over £1000 for a school trip must smoke, be on benefits and have a massive TV. None of these apply to our family, but I certaily won't be paying that sort of money when we could have a family holiday and take one of DS friends with us.

If DS had a buring desire to go on an expensive trip, I would find a way, but it just so happens that he has a burning desire to visit Florence, so we'll be going there for a holiday.

Anyway, how people choose to spend their money is their business. If people think it's acceptable to feed their family crappy food and cut back on essentials so they can pay for an extortionate trip, that's their business.

Ilovemyself · 07/06/2013 09:27

No sirchenjin. I didn't. I know fundraising is not easy, but it can be done.

niceguy2 · 07/06/2013 09:28

It's not even about taking away the rich and eliminating the poor.

What we're actually saying here is:

The rich/better off/average earners should be banned from doing something because the poor cannot afford it because it's not poor johnny's fault his parents are poor and he may feel left out. It's stupid and ridiculous logic.

Then we further dumb down the argument by assuming there are families out there who can't afford to save even £2 a week. But all would be well if schools didn't plan expensive skiing trips. Confused

Most parents simply are not rich. Most parents can only afford these trips because they budget, save and go without elsewhere.

School's don't even take the 'majority' so as I mentioned earlier. The idea of them being the one left out is simply untrue.

If we use that logic that schools cannot do anything in case the poor get left out and that some families literally cannot afford £2 a week then we can kiss goodbye to virtually every extra curricular activity. School disco's? End of term trips to amusement parks? School fetes? Sheesh we wouldn't want poor little johnny to feel left out that he can't afford raffle tickets to a tombola would we?

Won't someone please think of the children!!!!!

HawaiianSunset12 · 07/06/2013 09:30

When I was in school and everyone went to France or Spain (depending on what language you studied), those of us left behind (my mum couldnt afford it but I didn't even want to go) had way more fun! We had a bike ride, went to a theme park and other activities (can't actually remember what we did the other 3 days) but certainly not normal school lessons! And the best part was, none of us had to pay for these acitivies.

kelda · 07/06/2013 09:30

I'm not talking about banning all school trips. Just the extortionate ones of limited educational value.

Andro · 07/06/2013 09:32

The kids that can afford it can go with their parents in the holidays

You are assuming that their parents would take them Hully, you seem to forget that for some families such (such as those who have a sick/disabled member) some of these trips would not be practical (even with finances being a non-issue) - so a child misses out again if these trips are banned.

gorionine · 07/06/2013 09:34

For one school trip I walked coast to coast, 192 miles across England when I was 15
WOW! I would have loved that!

Or perhaps some people are not actually that bothered... Or maybe people have got different priorities like feeding their family, saving to send their children to university or when they are really twisted, they can tell their Dcs that they cannot go to an expensive residential on their own because the money would be better spent on a holiday that can be enjoyed by all the family enjoy!MOUHAHAHAHAAAAA!

Ilovemyself · 07/06/2013 09:41

I see there is no point discussing with some people. It will always be a case of those that can do things I can't are horrible for them.

And the comments on it being the only holiday some get is very true.

Perhaps those that want everyone to be equal should move to communist china!

Andro · 07/06/2013 09:42

After all life is unfair, why can't they suck it up like the poor kids.

Okay, this attitude really grates on me! Why do you assume that coming from a rich family means that a child doesn't know that's life is unfair? Unfair does not just refer to material disadvantage, it can arise in many different ways.

Hullygully · 07/06/2013 09:42

Oh what a good argument Andro.

Fuck all the poor in case there is a disabled child somewhere unspecified who may or may not exist and may or may not be able to go on a school trip.

FFS

Andro · 07/06/2013 09:43

^^that post should have contained:

Why can't the rich kids go without for once? About time surely.

As well

ItsDecisionTime · 07/06/2013 09:43

I wonder if those prices cover the accompanying teachers' travel costs who I would imagine would prefer a week in Barbados to freezing in Scotland!

Hullygully · 07/06/2013 09:44

So let me get this straight:

Life is unfair so schools should be too?

And no one should try to make life better for everybody, not just the few?

Hullygully · 07/06/2013 09:44

Do you think these are nice things to teach your children?

Andro · 07/06/2013 09:46

Hullygully

I was just pointing out that there's more here than the rich/poor line, nothing more.

nilbyname · 07/06/2013 09:46

Ilovemyself your name made me lolz! How apt given your position on this thread!

And the comments about moving to china, being a communist, well...I mean talk about being reductive.

We are talking about children here.

MadeOfStarDust · 07/06/2013 09:46

I don't think they should be banned....

My girls secondary do "activities week" The major school trips happen during that week - as do the fun day trips, the kids into drama put on a play, the science kids get to do some major experiments and competitions, they get authors in to give talks and workshops. They do grass "surfing", sports coaching week.. most of the activities cost nothing.

Next year DD1 is going to Germany £290 and DD2 is staying here to do "Science is fun..." So a competition to fire an egg the furthest takes up 4 days, and one day at a theme park... £20.

This year DD1 did "Tennis week" for no cost.

Hullygully · 07/06/2013 09:47

So let me get this straight:

Life is unfair so schools should be too?

And no one should try to make life better for everybody, not just the few?

Are these good things to teach your children?