School trip to NYC this Friday.......

[IGETITFROMMAMAMMA]

AIBU ti think School should be contacting parents to advise of the current situation....

Our 15 yo DD is due to travel to NYC this Friday with School for 5 days, given the current state and everything going on involving the US I imagine the threat to the US and certainly places such as NYC will be on extreme high alert.

As it stands I'm not 100% comfortable with her going now and I know I will be a nervous wreck the entire time she is there (if it goes ahead). this is the first trip of this sort I've any experience with, does anyone have any advice on what measures etc School will be putting in place or if this is a risk School will likely even take by allowing the trip to go ahead?

so far we have heard nothing at all from School not even an text or email to state they are looking into it etc.

there no more risk visiting New York this week than last week or last year for that matter. I do understand you are worried but please get it into perspective - remember there’s raf and other armed forces mums on here to to mention people living in the Middle East

Wonder what the parents dropping off in Sighthill today are thinking?
Incidents can happen anywhere, anytime, the OP has a legitimate concern but the chances of her child being caught up in something are miniscule. The pile on about being over-anxious etc though is similar to another thread where posters were telling someone that Cyprus is safe because "*it has a British military base"! Just because you are moving away from the "action" doesn"t mean you are not heading somewhere that can be targeted, and obviously big cities are more of a target than the local village hall, but you never can tell nowadays TBH. No idea what this thing in Edinburgh is about but the guy looks like he has lost it completely.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/15986827/edinburgh-knifeman-nursery-stabbing-spree/

Quite. The OP is being totally ridiculous.

New Yorker here. The police are providing extra coverage for certain foreign embassies and Jewish cultural and religious sites, but other than that, it's perfectly normal here.

We're even expecting some warmer weather. 😀

It'll be fine.

Give the school a moment. They might call it off. But tbh, the risk of going to eg. NYC is as high as it has always been since forever. Current issues in the ME are just reminding us of that. Security services the world over work 24/7 to prevent terrorist attacks, and have done so for decades. This is nothing new, so take advice from FO as PPs suggest.

My son flew to DALLAS (wild west) yesterday evening - still not heard that he's OK!

I’d be more worried about your “run of the mill” mass shooting or the children getting ICE’d over there at the moment to be honest OP. The risk of a terrorist attack (if you don’t count mass shootings as terrorism…) has been high for 30 years. Since 9/11 it’s arguably been safer as security is so much tighter.
As to the children not feeing anxious whilst there, I think that starts with your projections I’m afraid OP. A 15 year old should be living their best life out there, and not concerning themselves with the news whilst on a trip with their best friends. Literally, life will never be this care free for them again, so you really need to take a moment to calm down and stop panicking your child unnecessarily. At worst they’ll be safe, at best they’ll be having the time of their life.

I wouldn’t let my child travel alone atm. Especially to a country at war with another country. It’s a very fast moving situation, yes regional for now but things can quickly change. Air space can be closed for lots of different reasons. Sleeper cells are part of the current picture also so terror alert is higher. If uk retaliates to a regional attack what could happen?

None of us really know what will happen. As such i’d be cautions. The school should seek necessary advice. What happens if x,y or z?

To be honest I'm amazed at folk holidaying in Dubai atm. I wouldn’t, given the current geopolitics. But then I’m a politics wonk so knew this was on the cards for last 6 months.

I’m in the US, @IGETITFROMMAMAMMA
It’s perfectly safe here. And since last week the patrols have been at the very least doubled.

I’d be more concerned about your child getting into mischief more than anything else - good, old fashioned mischief.

Swnd them off with a kiss and plenty of mad money and be there when they arrive home.

Because they will arrive home. ❤️

I can understand your concern completely. NYC is always a possible target but I believe the people protecting us are competent and intelligence is reliable. From the well know strict border control decicding who comes in to ICE and DHS keeping tabs on and removing those who shouldnt be here and those that wish to us harm. My DH is military and we live very close to base. If course you have to be vigilant but you can't live in fear. For what it's worth I think the NY trip should go ahead and they'll have a great time. It's a wonderful city.

I wouldn’t want my child/teen going to NYC even before all of this nonsense. It’s a filthy, stinking not to mention, dangerous hole. Everywhere sticks of cannabis and there’s Fentanyl addicts bent over on every street corner. Awful place

Oh come on, it’s never safe in the US.

Half term was over a week ago where I live dear!

thank you

Where the hell did you go in NYC? I was all the city in December and saw zero Fentanyl addicts. ZeeeRoooo. And I am a fuddy duddy about drugs. I did smell weed early and often, but its legal. Otherwise its very safe and tourist friendly unless you are stupid. Like any major city in the UK.

New York has a Muslim Mayor.
New York has known its a target since the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

The kids will have an AMAZING time now that the snow has melted
see if the school can squeeze Momath into any gaps in their itinerary

You're right to say there's a heightened risk in the US of attacks from terrorist groups - both groups related to Iran & domestic terrorism. However. I'd keep in mind that the risk to any individual in the US is miniscule and other risks of harm that you already tolerate are probably higher. Unless an Iran backed group is already in place with a response to a US attack preplanned, I guess the risk is going to be greater over the coming months than now. Domestic terrorism risks are probably focused more on high profile political figures?

I'm not sure there's much the school could do or say though. I doubt if they could minimize risk any further.

I understand your concerns, but ultimately it's going to be up to you to decide whether your DD attends this trip or not.

I think NYC will be as safe as it normally is, but ultimately if it's too stressful for you/DD then you will need to pull her off the trip yourself and forfeit the money.

I very much doubt the school will cancel the trip unless government travel advice changes as parents will go mad and they would not be able to reimburse them all. There aren't really any measures the school can take beyond full cancellation.

I live in New York and it’s business as usual. If she’s going this Friday she’s going to catch the first warm weekend this year (20 degrees plus) after a brutal winter so the vibe in the city is going to be AMAZING. I hope she and her friends have a fab time. I fell in love after my first visit and moved here a few years later. It’s a fantastic city and I feel perfectly safe here, probably even slightly safer than when I lived in London tbh.

I went to New York last month.

it took HOURS to get through immigration- they take it so so seriously. You’ll have had to apply for visas so everything is checked and double checked. I understand why you’re worried but she will have a wonderful time!

The strikes are on airbases etc in the Middle East as there’s no way they would reach USA undetected. New York will be fine

I’m really confused by what you wanted to gain from this post. No one else can decide whether or not you should send her it’s going to have to be your decision. Nor can we advise what school will do. You need to speak to them directly not strangers on the internet.

500 people could tell you she’ll be fine but let’s face it no one knows. School can put all the risk assessments in place and follow all the gov travel advice but they can’t predict the future either. Besides, what steps can they actually put in place to minimise the risk of a terror attack?? You’re going to need to assess the risk and decide for yourself.

Schools must follow guidance and have risk assessments in place. A staff member must have EVC training. School trips are very well planned and risk securely addressed.

Have a read of the guidance @IGETITFROMMAMAMMA - does this reassure you enough (in an unknown situation).

Risk will be assessed and reviewed if necessary.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits

https://oeapng.info/evc/

There is also a statutory duty by the LA. Any issues, LA staff support the school staff to manage the situation. When my DCs were staying in a hotel near to the Paris Bataclan terrorist attacks, the LA coordinated contact, early return, etc.

There will also be a raised risk of terrorist attacks in London and other UK cities. I do not think I would worry unduly, though we are all living in a more uncertain world this week.

I see by your naive assumption that you’ve never been to the US.
Enough said.