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this preschool my son is attending do not hire school bus, instead they have the teacher AND parents to help driving the preschool kids to the field trips. On the enrollment form, it does require parents to sign a form, I guess in summary is means that the parents agree to allow these people to drive their children to field trips. I'm very worried about this, does that mean the school isn't liable at all if any of the volunteering parent isn't a good driver and hence got into a car accident? would you then have your child stay back in the class without going to the field trips with the rest of the kids? what's your experience in this area? My main concern is that they don't hire a school bus instead and have some parents and teacher drive the kids instead. many thanks for your input.
Yeah, I would not go for that. I assume all preschoolers are in carseats... who is going to ensure that they're even installed and used properly? 80% of carseats are NOT being used right, so chances are they won't be in someone else's car, with someone else installing them.
Do they do background/sex offender/driving record checks on all of these parents, like they do with bus drivers?
Unless I was available to personally drive my own child (along with other kids) on all field trips, that would be a deal-breaker for me.
I think it is a terrible idea for the school to use private cars. I'd be taking days off work just to drive my own children (but I have a flexible job so I can do that).
I would never go for that. I wouldn't trust other people to place the car seats in correctly. And to be honest, I would be totally freaked out at having a stranger drive my children anywhere without me present. If I was present, I'd be the one driving.
Yikes. It doesn't sound very smart of the daycare to put themselves, the kids, or the parents in that position.
My son's preschool was like that, but they only did one field trip a year (and one year they went on the city bus). I always drove and it made me nervous to drive other people's chlildren, but I was very very careful. Those releases don't hold up in court, so the drivers can be liable for sure if something happens. This school we were at did not want to be one of those places they took a bunch of field trips with a school owned bus or van. They thought it was too risky and there was really no good reason to take ages 2-4 out - which I agree with. The once a year trip was an end of year celebration type thing to a park or McDonalds. Nothing big or far away. Still the whole thing made my nervous and I would not be able to handle it a bunch of times.
Well my self and daughter, among many of our friends survived going on field trips that way.
IMO
I would venture to guess that the parent's own child would be in their own car, so why would they risk 'hurting ' their child much less the others? I bet the parents who actually volunteer to do the driving see it as a way to contribute to the edification of the kids, not a chance to play race car drivers.
Unless the school is made up of a lot of unsavory people I wouldn't worry so much about it.
Is it a private school? If it concerns you so much, why not check with the principal...I imagine they are within the law to do so. Ask abou the liability, Most public schools use the school busses.
Is this how they usually do field trips? Or something new? How many are they going on? Like every week or a few over the year?
Can you, or dad or a grandparent or relative take some time to drive for on of these trips?
My dad drove several times for DD and he loved being the grandpa on those trips
Well my self and daughter, among many of our friends survived going on field trips that way.
IMO
I would venture to guess that the parent's own child would be in their own car, so why would they risk 'hurting ' their child much less the others? I bet the parents who actually volunteer to do the driving see it as a way to contribute to the edification of the kids, not a chance to play race car drivers.
Unless the school is made up of a lot of unsavory people I wouldn't worry so much about it.
Is it a private school? If it concerns you so much, why not check with the principal...I imagine they are within the law to do so. Ask abou the liability, Most public schools use the school busses.
Is this how they usually do field trips? Or something new? How many are they going on? Like every week or a few over the year?
Can you, or dad or a grandparent or relative take some time to drive for on of these trips?
My dad drove several times for DD and he loved being the grandpa on those trips
thanks for making me feel better, although I still worry. I really don't want to hold my child back in class while the others are out there having fun. and I agree that those parents who drive the kids are those who are having their own kid in their car (I'm volunteering this week). this is a private preschool and it sounds like the school has been doing this for the past 34 years. they do these field trips almost once every week. actually, I can't wait till winter comes, they go out a lot less since it snows here....very much thank you for sharing your input.
If this is a preschool that falls under your state's child care licensing department, I'd do some checking to see what they are able to do under the laws of licensing.
In Texas, they can use any type vehicle, however there are many specifications they must meet, starting with the drivers must have a valid driver's license and have passed a background check. They also must have and carry with them on all field trips: parent permission to go on the field trip, parent permission to be transported, a list of the children going with their emergency information, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and cell phone. Also they must meet the appropriate child/adult ratio, use appropriate child safety seat and all kids must wear nametag/shirt with preschool's identification info and each adult must be easily identifiable.
In Texas, any preschool/child care situation housed in and run by a religious organization is not governed by the state licensing laws, so that may also be the case where you are.
Irregardless, unless I could go on the trip and drive only my child (and early childhood/child care is MY profession) then my child likely would not be going.
Can't say anything about pre-school, but from kindergarten on up this is how our entire school system does field trips. Pretty much the only time buses are ever used is if the trip involves at least three classrooms of students, or when the older students have trips that last longer than the regular school day.
I have a flexible job schedule and I have driven for many field trips. I never really thought twice about it, as it's just the way things are done here. I think I would rather have a mom (or dad) each in charge of their own little group of four or five kids for the day, than to have two or three adults trying to keep up with a bus load of kids. My son is not very attentive and I was always afraid he might be lallygagging off somewhere and get accidentally left behind when they had a bus trip.
34 yrs huh....must be doing something right. You'll be okay Mom...thats the tough part of being a parent, wanting to do the best you can on top of worrying that you aren't...
tell little one to be polite and have a blast!
ooh ooh...good point dubblet....4 or 5 headcount versus 30 or more. That makes sense
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I wouldn't worry so much about it. 
Can't say anything about pre-school, but from kindergarten on up this is how our entire school system does field trips. Pretty much the only time buses are ever used is if the trip involves at least three classrooms of students, or when the older students have trips that last longer than the regular school day.
