Published: May 21, 2009 09:22 pm      

Why doesn’t the school know where to find our children?

I am a very upset parent of a child attending the Mineral County Pre-K program at Frankfort Intermediate School. My child was scheduled to be on a field trip May 19.

The permission slip sent home stated that they would “leave FIS at 8:15 and start at 8:20 at the Post Office. We will arrive at the airport approximately 9:15 to 9:30. Parent volunteers can meet us at the Post Office.” That’s fine, but they never stated which post office.

One of the other parents was suppose to meet up with the field trip, but when she arrived at the post office in Fort Ashby (assuming that that was the one they would be at) the bus was not there. So she, needing to get her child her lunch for the day, went to the airport and once again, no bus, no children.

According to the schedule they should have been there. When she contacted the school, the secretary informed her that they did not have a detailed itinerary for the field trip.

While she continued to drive around looking for our children, she asked me to call the school and try to find out where they were.

When I called, the secretary proceeded to laugh about not knowing where they were, and the principal said in the background that she believed they were supposed to be at the Pondora Stables.

After several attempts to get information from the main Pre-K/Headstart office, the bus garage, and the school with no success, my child’s aunt went to the school and spoke to the principal and finally got her to radio the bus to find out where they were.

However, during that conversation, the principal asked why the parents needed to know where the children were, and were they safe. Excuse me?

As a parent of four children enrolled and attending Mineral County schools, I am extremely upset with the events of May 19. As a parent, I have every right to know where my child is when he or she is in the care of school officials.

At the same time, I expect that the principal of any school, the one ultimately responsible for each child attending their school, should know exactly where children are especially during a field trip. We later discovered that the principal had full knowledge of the itinerary for the field trip, but for a reason I cannot fathom, decided that we as parents didn’t need to know.

I am a taxpayer of Mineral County, West Virginia and the United States of America. My taxes, as well as all others who pay their taxes, pay the salaries of these people.

I think it’s time for a reminder to the officials of our school board and all the employees in these schools that ultimately they work for us.

We are the parents of these children, and our rights are being violated by some within the school system. Wake up, Mineral County parents! Do you know where your child is during the school day? If not, don’t count on the school to help you to find out.

Natalie Rowland

Ridgeley, W.Va.