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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think teachers shouldn't be drinking on trips?

627 replies

Newyeardontcare · 15/03/2019 20:31

Dc just back from trip overseas. Apparently as soon as they were in their rooms the teachers went to the hotel bar. (The kids snuck down to check on them so they could all go into each other's rooms).Were also drinking wine and cocktails at dinner (before walking kids around an overseas city for an hour to their hotel at 11pm)

Is this normal? In charge of 13yr olds?

OP posts:
MrsPworkingmummy · 15/03/2019 20:33

Yes, absolutely normal. Bare in mind these teachers are giving up their own time to facilitate this opportunity for your little darlings, a glass of wine is more than well deserved.

Fabaunt · 15/03/2019 20:33

Are they being paid for 24hrs on the job? If not they’re entitled to free time.

aibutohavethisusername · 15/03/2019 20:34

Sounds pretty normal to me.

Etino · 15/03/2019 20:35

Very normal. It’s blummin stressful being an accompanying teacher on school trips. If it’s somewhere isolated DofE, camping YHA there’d be a non drinker.

kaytee87 · 15/03/2019 20:35

Totally fine. They're in charge of 13yo's, not newborn babies.
I hope you thanked the teachers for giving up their time (possibly with their own families) to make sure your child could have this experience.

edwinbear · 15/03/2019 20:36

DS is going on the school ski trip at Easter, I am incredibly grateful to the staff taking them who are giving us their holiday to facilitate this, I absolutely expect them to have a glass of wine in the evenings in much the same I would on a ski trip.

KnopeforAmerica · 15/03/2019 20:36

So you ever drink around your children? Have no actual evidence to suggest any teacher had drunk too much?

Wolfiefan · 15/03/2019 20:36

Getting shitfaced? Not on.
A glass of wine at the end of the evening? No issue.

Tink88 · 15/03/2019 20:37

The kids snuck down to check on them? Maybe the kids should mind their own business.

Serin · 15/03/2019 20:37

DH is a teacher and on one trip they shared a hotel with another school. During the night a child from the other school came to them and reported that she didn't know what to do as the kids in her room were fighting and their teachers were so drunk they couldn't help.
Absolutely appalling behaviour.
I dont begrudge anyone a drink but to get drunk when in charge of school parties is unforgivable.
I have also personally seen scout leaders way over the legal driving limit when away on camps.

exculpatrix · 15/03/2019 20:38

I'd certainly be a bit uncomfortable with that. Teachers are people, sure, but if there's some unexpected emergency or other event that requires adult supervision I'd want to know the people acting in loco parentis were sober.

MsJaneAusten · 15/03/2019 20:39

Small drink at dinner and/or after kids are in bed? Totally normal and acceptable. Getting raging drink? Unacceptable and very unlikely.

If it’s anything like the trips ive been on, there’ll be an (informal) rota so that there’s always two people not drinking.

Do remind your DC that the staff are working hard, for no extra pay, and that a glass of wine after lights out is not outrageous.

Dermymc · 15/03/2019 20:40

Yeh that's normal.

A couple of drinks is necessary. They get paid nothing extra for 24/7 care of your child to provide them with an experience.

Unclench and let your son enjoy himself.

MrsElizabethShelby · 15/03/2019 20:40

A couple of glasses of wine is nothing. I used to be a girl guide leader with an awful group of older women and when we went on camp they used to get trollied every night. I was young and didn't feel brave enough to tell them how irresponsible they were being. I just used to make sure I stayed sober so at least one adult was capable of helping if something went wrong..

kaytee87 · 15/03/2019 20:41

The kids snuck down to check on them? Maybe the kids should mind their own business.

Yes, I hope you told your dc off.

bluebellation · 15/03/2019 20:42

My daughter is a teacher and on their trips they have a rota of who's 'on duty ' I.e. not drinking, each night, so there's always adequate cover for emergencies. Not that the rest of them are getting pissed, but they can enjoy a bit if down time.

Liverbird77 · 15/03/2019 20:43

We weren't allowed to drink on trips. It was part of the risk assessment. Having said that, I wouldn't cause trouble for these teachers. You ate expected to give up your free time and running a trip is bloody exhausting. If you have concerns, don't participate in any further trips.

Original poster
Newyeardontcare · 15/03/2019 20:44

It's not 24/7 care if they're drinking though, is it? and all the teachers were drinking. And it's all well and good saying 'one glass is fine' but who knows what their tolerance levels are? I'm pretty pissed off. I'd prefer they hadn't gone on the trip than people who were drinking walked them through a dangerous city at 11pm...

OP posts:
PinkHeart5914 · 15/03/2019 20:44

Presumably the teachers weren’t hammered, they had a few glasses of whatever, so no different to when I’m lookimg after my own dc.

also being in charge of a load of teens must be hell, how would one survive without wine?

Try chilling out?

Generationrenter · 15/03/2019 20:44

If this was any other profession in charge of kids, people would say it’s not on but teachers are a protected characteristic in mumsnet land.
A few glasses of wine is fine, cocktails and getting drunk whilst responsible for a group of children in a foreign country is not really acceptable.

spanieleyes · 15/03/2019 20:45

it's not that common ( although not unheard of) on primary trips but, for secondary the students are presumably a little more self sufficient and responsible. However, excess drinking is certainly frowned upon and could be a disciplinary matter if anything serious happened!

WhiteDust · 15/03/2019 20:46

Do the adults in your family drink when their DC are in bed?
The pupils had been asked to go to their rooms for the night presumably. (The kids snuck down to check on them so they could all go into each other's rooms) The teachers were on downtime.
I'd be more annoyed if my darling DD/DS was messing around going in and out of friend's rooms when they'd been asked to stay put TBH.

yolofish · 15/03/2019 20:46

Any DC that went on my (children's) school trips were invited to join the teachers in the bar - as long as they were over 18 - for a glass or a beer. There was certainly no getting ratarsed, in fact I thought it was very civilised of both staff and the older students, and a nice reflection of the relationships they had.

IntentsAndPorpoises · 15/03/2019 20:47

They don't get paid any extra at all. School tripe are entirely voluntary. I've been on loads as a teacher and had a drink. Just like I would with my own kids.

What dangerous city are we talking about? Allepo? Guatemala city?

Don't be so daft.

Dermymc · 15/03/2019 20:47

Bloody hell I was pissed at home with my 2yo asleep last week. Guess what, I was still able to look after him.

OP Unclench. Of course it's 24/7 care. Having one drink doesn't render you incapable of walking through a city with 13yos.

You sound like the type of parent that is too involved. I wouldn't even want my kids to tell me this stuff.

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