14 yr old walking home alone at 4 am after school trip

[ladyeve]

Is it acceptable/common practice to suggest to parents that, should they so wish and they (parent) have signed a consent form to this effect, their 13-15 yr old child will be allowed to walk home unaccompanied at 3-4 a.m. after returning from a school trip?

Views and or experience of this matter will be gratefully received

It's a standard form. And, as I said, if the 14 year old lived next door to the school then obviously it would be fine.

But..standard form. No need for shock and outrage.

No. Not a chance. What is wrong with someone collecting the person at that time of the day? Although would like to meet the person who arranged this and thought it was a good idea, to ask them what they were thinking.
When mine where in secondary, couple of miles from the school and after dark, I wouldn't do the walk, never mind letting any of my children do it.

I don't see the problem. It's a choice, you can agree or disagree. Presumably nearly everyone will decline but there will be a few that don't mind perhaps because they live so close or perhaps because they will get their kids to walk in groups back to one house.

I live 5 mins from school and I wouldn't have a problem with my DS's running home at that time as long as they didn't have any luggage.

I bet the chances of anything happening to them are lower than in the daytime or early evening.

Surely the school aren't saying that it's OK, only that they're your children and it's up to you.

If they were to say on no account will any children be allowed to walk home alone, that would be wrong too. As these children probably usually walk home from school alone, the school are saying that it's not going to happen this time unless you specifically allow it.

No a 14 year old should not be walking home alone at that time of night.

Not a chance.

Either the parents need to meet the bus at 4am, or you need to arrange for a fleet of taxis to meet the bus and drop each child home (and add the fare to the trip cost)

No way.

Unless some of the children live literally over the road/next door/within sight of the school.

What manic said

Better 4am than 11pm, but even so....as Fish suggests, booking a reputable cab firm to meet them is an option if you can't (be ars*d )