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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Drinking on a school trip?

333 replies

Flower64 · 03/09/2019 16:19

I contacted my child's school after a camping trip to ask about the teachers drinking on one of the evenings. My child said there was a lot of laughing, screeching and in her opinion the teachers were drunk. She's 13 so not a young child and I think she'd recognise someone drinking. I got an email reply today and part of it says "some staff did stay up later than the children one night, but at no point were any staff drunk. As an additional precaution two staff members consumed no alcohol at all".

AIBU to surmise then that the remaining staff members did have a drink - but in their opinion they weren't drunk - and is this actually acceptable? I don't think any teachers should be drinking on a school trip but now I am doubting myself and looking for opinions please!

OP posts:
Flippetydip · 03/09/2019 16:22

YABU. Two teachers don't drink so that they can ferry anyone to hospital if needs be. Seriously, you need alcohol to get you through the hideousness of a school trip I would imagine. The children were supposed to be in bed, why shouldn't the teachers kick back a bit? They do not get paid extra for school trips. I am in awe of any teachers that go on school trips.

JamOnTheCarpet · 03/09/2019 16:24

Teachers on duty - no drinking.
Teachers off duty - free to drink if they want, but obviously not to get drunk.

sillysmiles · 03/09/2019 16:25

Do no parents ever drink when their children are in bed?

capercaillie · 03/09/2019 16:25

If they had 2 staff not drinking, what exactly is your problem? It’s v unlikely that anyone had more than 1-2 drinks. I lead school trips and that is standard practice.

Oblomov19 · 03/09/2019 16:25

YABU
2 were on duty.

CaptainMyCaptain · 03/09/2019 16:25

Teachers do residential trips in their own time with no extra pay. They're entitled to a glass of wine at the end if the day and were responsible in having two teachers not drinking. I doubt if they were actually drunk.

Sofasurfer101 · 03/09/2019 16:25

They also have wine and stay up later on our school. They are not drunk, but relaxing after a probably long day. My kid got homesick, and a teacher slept next to her.
Im not worried. When i volountier on school trips with overnight i expect a glass or 2 , when kids sleep.

Pipandmum · 03/09/2019 16:26

There’s a ratio of teachers to children. If a teacher drank and could no longer act as a responsible adult then that ratio no longer holds. In my opinion there should be no alcohol when looking after minors on a school camping trip.

BanjoStarz · 03/09/2019 16:27

Why don’t you take your own kids camping?

Add 30 of their friends

Then let us know about your alcohol intake.

As long as two staff members were on duty I don’t think it’s any of your business what the rest get up to really.

SarahTancredi · 03/09/2019 16:28

Least they stayed with the kids.

I remember one residential where the teachers left the "camp" and went to the pubGrin

But I'm.from the days when kids regularly caught their teachers down the pub after school. You didnt tell the parents you saw the teachers and the teachers didnt tell your parents you were underage drinking....

I'd be surprised if teachers didnt require alcohol to get through the trip tbh

WillowB · 03/09/2019 16:28

Well the simple solution is don't send your child next time.
You do realise that teachers don't have to run trips don't you?

PleasedToSeeYou · 03/09/2019 16:28

I don't think they did anything wrong , The children are teenagers, two teachers were stone cold sober
Are you buying them something to say thank you for giving up their time ?

Shalom23 · 03/09/2019 16:29

You are being VERY unreasonable. People have given up their time, possibly a weekend, for no pay, to ensure your child gets to go on a trip.
As is standard there are two non drinking adults to drive if need be. You should be thanking these teachers, buy them a bottle of wine to thank them for their hours on unpaid work.

DriftingLeaves · 03/09/2019 16:30

Not enough words for how U you are. The staff will remember you for it.

They take your child away and you have the cheek to moan about what they do when the kids are supposed to be asleep. You are not a nice person.

How dare you?

xJune88 · 03/09/2019 16:30

I can remember my teachers all sat in the bar on the ferry when I went on a trip to France and Belgium, nobody cared especially not the kids... no one was harmed and they wouldn't of been drunk... let it go

FabulouslyGlamorousFerret · 03/09/2019 16:31

Oh froth off!! 🙄

My daughter is a TA, she takes home about £40 a day ..... last term she went on a 3 day residential for the princely sum of £120, that's for being away from her boyfriend and dogs, with 60 12/13 year olds for around 15hrs a day. On the nights she wasn't 'des' would you begrudge her a glass of wine? I can assure you they don't get 'steaming drink'!

WildImaginings · 03/09/2019 16:32

Oh go away.

Homeschool your child or let's cancel all school trips if you don't like it.

As many on this thread have pointed out, teachers do residentials in their own time so that your little darling can have a school trip.

TidyDancer · 03/09/2019 16:33

What exactly is your issue with this OP?

WorraLiberty · 03/09/2019 16:33

YABU for goodness sake.

Responsible adults having a drink and enjoying themselves?

Whatever next

Apocalyptichorsewoman · 03/09/2019 16:33

Yes, YABU.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 03/09/2019 16:34

I’d be more bothered about some of the students sneaking off to get drink.

WorraLiberty · 03/09/2019 16:34

Also, I imagine your poor child will be mortified that you contacted the school.

BrokenWing · 03/09/2019 16:35

YABU

flamingjune123 · 03/09/2019 16:36

If this is true I think you have just made yourself and possibly daughter very unpopular. Very very silly

TheHobbitMum · 03/09/2019 16:37

So you're that parent then, don't bother sending your child on trips in future.