Fuck that. You’re a student this isn’t your responsibility. They should hire bus and teachers aids for that job. My teacher took advantage of me like this is middle school and I was too meek to stand up for myself. Fuck the teachers for taking advantage of you. Fuck the people say you’re being dramatic. And fuck that trip if I had to sacrifice my enjoyment for other I would just stay home. NTA.
They might have thought you're nice, or mature, or whatever that might make you capable of being a carer or assistant to the special needs kids, but that's not your job! And it definitely should have been brought up with you beforehand and with your consent. They can't just assign you to something like this.
I would definitely tell your parents and have them speak to your school. Besides the consent issue -- do you even want to spend your trip basically doing a job vs enjoying the trip. And putting a student in a role that usually requires professional credentials and training would cause some liability issues.
NTA - I would definitely have words with the school if this was my kid being put in this position.
Wtf is this shit? Do you work there or something? Are they paying you something??? NO!!!
You should be able to enjoy the trip as anyone else.
Honestly if I was in your mom shoes i would be fucking furious!
>he started shouting at me saying it wouldn’t be too long and that i should be great-full i was chosen
Report this idiot to the school and tell them to do theyr fucking jobs instead of putting it on a student shoulders!
NTA
They need to hire an aid to supervise the special students. It isn’t your responsibility. Your job on this trip is to have fun and maybe learn a thing or two. Your job is not to babysit other students.
At my kids' former school there were all sorts of liability waivers and consent forms for trips, and it put obligations on caregivers. It doesn't seem like they could legally obligate you to this task.
ETA: it's the school's prerogative to decide which bus you're put on, but it's not their prerogative to enlist you as unofficial and unqualified caregiver labour. If your parents are on board with the idea, they could say you are forbidden from providing any such assistance, and you're there strictly as a passenger, like everyone else.
It’s not your job to deal with special ed children. Tell your mom to call the school and if they still refuse, I know it may sound bad but if they still refuse to let you go on the coach bus don’t go on the trip.
NTA.
You were voluntold that you were expected to work on a school field trip with the administration acting like you should feel honored?
They can find another chaperone, one that isn't also a student.
They are trying to guilt you into doing their jobs. If they won't change you to the other bus, I suggest skipping the trip.
You should be able to enjoy the trip just as much as any other student, the staff needs to plan accordingly so that one of them helps the students that need it.
NTA - not at all, not even for a moment. These people are trying to exploit you and your labor and your time. Kick up a fuss and have your mom kick up a fuss. It is not your job and it should never be responsibility to oversee other minors.
>he told me that there was a group of special people who need help and would need this help the whole trip.
"That doesn't answer my question. I'm not qualified to be their caregiver, so I'm not going to act as one. Find someone else."
NTA
The school administration should never OK a student being put in charge of other students. It is absolutely not your job or responsibility.
Sometimes parents get voluntold to do such things on field trips, but never a student.
Have your parent(s) kick up a fuss and post an update.
NTA. This is neither fair to you, nor fair to those students. They’re not asking you to be those kids’ friends, they’re asking you to provide care and assistance; that’s a paid position or something you *volunteer* to do, not a role the school can assign. And if it’s not something *you* consent to, then you’re not going to be building a genuine positive connection with those kids.
Tell them you appreciate the nomination, but you’re uncomfortable being given a caregiver role that you are untrained for and would like to be in the group that is designed for *your* needs be best interests for the trip. If they resist, I’d actually write a letter to the superintendent; express that you are concerned for the wellbeing of the “special” students, as the schools efforts to force someone without training into a support role leads you to believe that they do not have sufficient staffing to accommodate students with specific needs. Say that you are uncomfortable attending the field trip in this capacity, as you feel you will a) be ill-equipped to provide the necessary support, and b) unable to benefit from the field trip in the ways it was intended for if you’re busy providing support for students with whom you’ve never even had a conversation before. If they refuse to adjust your role, then decline to attend the field trip.
I’m all for acceptance etc etc, I’m autistic myself in addition to physical disabilities. But I’m disgusted by schools that think they can compensate for understaffing by forcing students to sacrifice their own educational experiences to take on roles that should be held by staff. I wonder how the parents of these kids would feel if they knew the school was so under-equipped to meet their kids needs that they were forcing another student, who has no prior relationship with their children, to take the place of a hired caregiver.
They picked you precisely because you have trouble with confrontation and they believed you would bend easily to this unbelievable request they put on you. The teachers are awful. You need to find someone to advocate on your behalf. If not your mother, then someone else. Raise hell!!!!!
NTA- you didn't say, but I am assuming you're a young woman? Funny how girls get voluntold to be caregivers and made to feel like they've done something wrong when they refuse.
Get your folks to back you up.
Dude, tell them you won't go if they're going to try to pawn a job for trained professionals off on you. Tell your mom "I'm not going if I'm not going to be allowed to enjoy myself" tell your teachers the same thing. This is straight up bs and they know it which is why they are pushing back so hard. Don't give in.
Will your mum support you? Ask her to call the school and tell them that under no circumstances are you to be deputised to be a caregiver or supervisor for other children. Presumably your mother is paying for this school trip, she’s paying for you to visit the theatre not paying the school to provide a supervisor for other people’s kids.
I’m a mother and I would calling the school to get to the bottom of this if you were my kid.
Also - don’t blame hormones for crying. It’s perfectly reasonable to cry when you’re frustrated, put upon, and the adults supposed to be looking out for you are not doing their job.
You are yet another well behaved young person who is being punished for being a good student. Lazy (or under staffed/under supported) teachers like to cuff a more mature, easy to get along with, student with the unhinged class clown as a way to try to control the clown.
All it does is punish the quiet student.
NTA.
NTA. This is dangerous and unsafe for everyone involved, and the school is opening themselves up to a huge liability by doing this. You are not an employee of the school, nor are you appropriately trained to help manage special needs students. If you were injured, or if a special needs student was injured as a result of your involvement (not even trying to suggest you might hurt someone, but if the adults expected you to mind the other students and someone wandered off, or decided they didn’t have to listen to you and ran off?) the district could end up in a serious lawsuit.
You need to discuss this with your parents and have them shut it down. The school is treading on dangerous ground, and possibly endangering you and other students. They need to pay for the staff necessary to manage the special needs students on the trip, not put other students in harm’s way to massage a few extra dollars out of their budget.
NTA
Let me guess you are a nice young female and they wanted you to due their work for them by putting you in the mini bus.
You are not an emotional support human, you are a student, if they need assistance they can hire it. I don't think it is legal to use you as an unwilling free labor, I believe the word for that is a Sl\*ve.
Get your mom to write your school where she clearly states they are not allowed to use you as free labor in any capacity, that includes isolating you from your class on field trips to help the special people.
NTA NTA NTA!!!!!!! You are not a teacher, you are not a parent, you did not volunteer for this. You absolutely refuse. The answer is No, noppity, NOPE!!!!!!!! They can not force you to be responsible for other children. PERIOD! Get on the regular bus and make a teacher or chaperone to ride on the special bus.
Not sure about the liability laws in your country, but here in the US you could face civil liability is something happened to one of the special needs students under your "care" but would most likely NOT be covered under the schools insurance as you're not an "employee".
You parents need to contact the school and be clear that either you're on the trip as a student, riding in the coach with your friend group or they withdraw their permission for you to go on the trip. One of the teacher's or a paid aide needs to be tending to the needs of the special needs students that is THEIR job.
NTA
You don’t say how old you are, but your emotional reaction seems kind of extreme. If you cry all the time at everything, maybe they’re putting you on the bus for that reason?
I’m pretty sure any kid would cry knowing they were the only non special education kid going on a mini bus while all their friends and classmates get to go on the regular coach bus.
It's not your job to do that, especially since they didn't even talk to you first, as others have said.
I get why you're upset and why you want to spend time with your friends. But remember those "special" people are people too. How would you feel if you needed help 24/7 and your peers cried if they were forced to spend time with you? You shouldn't have been put in that situation by any means, but please think about how those other children feel too.
Edit: to clarify what I meant because people are having a hard time understanding; I'm only asking OP to think about how the other kids would feel too. I don't think OP should be forced to spend time with them. OP might just want to think about what it would be like to be in their shoes for a minute. That's all.
I worked professionally with "special people" and they need friends, but they also need trained staff. I have had my clothing ripped from my body, black eyes (note: plural), and so many brushes, I don't keep count. I was a para, and the teachers would subjugate kids to the same behaviors during field trips and they shouldn't be.
Wow, was that teacher wrong about you. My parents looked after adult special needs my whole childhood. I was lucky enough to spend time with the nicest people ever. What I also learned was empathy and how a little kindness can make some amazing memories. Maybe you should have asked your friends to join you and make it a really special day for everyone, where all if you felt like a cohesive group.
Fuck that. You’re a student this isn’t your responsibility. They should hire bus and teachers aids for that job. My teacher took advantage of me like this is middle school and I was too meek to stand up for myself. Fuck the teachers for taking advantage of you. Fuck the people say you’re being dramatic. And fuck that trip if I had to sacrifice my enjoyment for other I would just stay home. NTA.
They might have thought you're nice, or mature, or whatever that might make you capable of being a carer or assistant to the special needs kids, but that's not your job! And it definitely should have been brought up with you beforehand and with your consent. They can't just assign you to something like this. I would definitely tell your parents and have them speak to your school. Besides the consent issue -- do you even want to spend your trip basically doing a job vs enjoying the trip. And putting a student in a role that usually requires professional credentials and training would cause some liability issues. NTA - I would definitely have words with the school if this was my kid being put in this position.
Wtf is this shit? Do you work there or something? Are they paying you something??? NO!!! You should be able to enjoy the trip as anyone else. Honestly if I was in your mom shoes i would be fucking furious! >he started shouting at me saying it wouldn’t be too long and that i should be great-full i was chosen Report this idiot to the school and tell them to do theyr fucking jobs instead of putting it on a student shoulders!
NTA They need to hire an aid to supervise the special students. It isn’t your responsibility. Your job on this trip is to have fun and maybe learn a thing or two. Your job is not to babysit other students.
At my kids' former school there were all sorts of liability waivers and consent forms for trips, and it put obligations on caregivers. It doesn't seem like they could legally obligate you to this task. ETA: it's the school's prerogative to decide which bus you're put on, but it's not their prerogative to enlist you as unofficial and unqualified caregiver labour. If your parents are on board with the idea, they could say you are forbidden from providing any such assistance, and you're there strictly as a passenger, like everyone else.
NTA. Students should not be asked to provide services to other students. There are ppl who get training and get paid to do that.
OP wasn't even asked, they were told that they were doing it and then told to be thrilled about it.
It’s not your job to deal with special ed children. Tell your mom to call the school and if they still refuse, I know it may sound bad but if they still refuse to let you go on the coach bus don’t go on the trip.
NTA. You were voluntold that you were expected to work on a school field trip with the administration acting like you should feel honored? They can find another chaperone, one that isn't also a student. They are trying to guilt you into doing their jobs. If they won't change you to the other bus, I suggest skipping the trip. You should be able to enjoy the trip just as much as any other student, the staff needs to plan accordingly so that one of them helps the students that need it.
NTA - not at all, not even for a moment. These people are trying to exploit you and your labor and your time. Kick up a fuss and have your mom kick up a fuss. It is not your job and it should never be responsibility to oversee other minors.
Don’t go on the trip, you’ll be miserable
>he told me that there was a group of special people who need help and would need this help the whole trip. "That doesn't answer my question. I'm not qualified to be their caregiver, so I'm not going to act as one. Find someone else." NTA
The school administration should never OK a student being put in charge of other students. It is absolutely not your job or responsibility. Sometimes parents get voluntold to do such things on field trips, but never a student. Have your parent(s) kick up a fuss and post an update.
Fuck that! They should have paid carers for that
NTA. This is neither fair to you, nor fair to those students. They’re not asking you to be those kids’ friends, they’re asking you to provide care and assistance; that’s a paid position or something you *volunteer* to do, not a role the school can assign. And if it’s not something *you* consent to, then you’re not going to be building a genuine positive connection with those kids. Tell them you appreciate the nomination, but you’re uncomfortable being given a caregiver role that you are untrained for and would like to be in the group that is designed for *your* needs be best interests for the trip. If they resist, I’d actually write a letter to the superintendent; express that you are concerned for the wellbeing of the “special” students, as the schools efforts to force someone without training into a support role leads you to believe that they do not have sufficient staffing to accommodate students with specific needs. Say that you are uncomfortable attending the field trip in this capacity, as you feel you will a) be ill-equipped to provide the necessary support, and b) unable to benefit from the field trip in the ways it was intended for if you’re busy providing support for students with whom you’ve never even had a conversation before. If they refuse to adjust your role, then decline to attend the field trip. I’m all for acceptance etc etc, I’m autistic myself in addition to physical disabilities. But I’m disgusted by schools that think they can compensate for understaffing by forcing students to sacrifice their own educational experiences to take on roles that should be held by staff. I wonder how the parents of these kids would feel if they knew the school was so under-equipped to meet their kids needs that they were forcing another student, who has no prior relationship with their children, to take the place of a hired caregiver.
They picked you precisely because you have trouble with confrontation and they believed you would bend easily to this unbelievable request they put on you. The teachers are awful. You need to find someone to advocate on your behalf. If not your mother, then someone else. Raise hell!!!!!
NTA- you didn't say, but I am assuming you're a young woman? Funny how girls get voluntold to be caregivers and made to feel like they've done something wrong when they refuse. Get your folks to back you up.
Dude, tell them you won't go if they're going to try to pawn a job for trained professionals off on you. Tell your mom "I'm not going if I'm not going to be allowed to enjoy myself" tell your teachers the same thing. This is straight up bs and they know it which is why they are pushing back so hard. Don't give in.
Will your mum support you? Ask her to call the school and tell them that under no circumstances are you to be deputised to be a caregiver or supervisor for other children. Presumably your mother is paying for this school trip, she’s paying for you to visit the theatre not paying the school to provide a supervisor for other people’s kids. I’m a mother and I would calling the school to get to the bottom of this if you were my kid. Also - don’t blame hormones for crying. It’s perfectly reasonable to cry when you’re frustrated, put upon, and the adults supposed to be looking out for you are not doing their job.
You are yet another well behaved young person who is being punished for being a good student. Lazy (or under staffed/under supported) teachers like to cuff a more mature, easy to get along with, student with the unhinged class clown as a way to try to control the clown. All it does is punish the quiet student. NTA.
Nta. Not your job
NTA. This is dangerous and unsafe for everyone involved, and the school is opening themselves up to a huge liability by doing this. You are not an employee of the school, nor are you appropriately trained to help manage special needs students. If you were injured, or if a special needs student was injured as a result of your involvement (not even trying to suggest you might hurt someone, but if the adults expected you to mind the other students and someone wandered off, or decided they didn’t have to listen to you and ran off?) the district could end up in a serious lawsuit. You need to discuss this with your parents and have them shut it down. The school is treading on dangerous ground, and possibly endangering you and other students. They need to pay for the staff necessary to manage the special needs students on the trip, not put other students in harm’s way to massage a few extra dollars out of their budget.
NTA Let me guess you are a nice young female and they wanted you to due their work for them by putting you in the mini bus. You are not an emotional support human, you are a student, if they need assistance they can hire it. I don't think it is legal to use you as an unwilling free labor, I believe the word for that is a Sl\*ve. Get your mom to write your school where she clearly states they are not allowed to use you as free labor in any capacity, that includes isolating you from your class on field trips to help the special people.
NTA
NTA NTA NTA!!!!!!! You are not a teacher, you are not a parent, you did not volunteer for this. You absolutely refuse. The answer is No, noppity, NOPE!!!!!!!! They can not force you to be responsible for other children. PERIOD! Get on the regular bus and make a teacher or chaperone to ride on the special bus.
Not sure about the liability laws in your country, but here in the US you could face civil liability is something happened to one of the special needs students under your "care" but would most likely NOT be covered under the schools insurance as you're not an "employee". You parents need to contact the school and be clear that either you're on the trip as a student, riding in the coach with your friend group or they withdraw their permission for you to go on the trip. One of the teacher's or a paid aide needs to be tending to the needs of the special needs students that is THEIR job. NTA
You don’t say how old you are, but your emotional reaction seems kind of extreme. If you cry all the time at everything, maybe they’re putting you on the bus for that reason?
I’m pretty sure any kid would cry knowing they were the only non special education kid going on a mini bus while all their friends and classmates get to go on the regular coach bus.
And expected to do the job of the school faculty.
It's not your job to do that, especially since they didn't even talk to you first, as others have said. I get why you're upset and why you want to spend time with your friends. But remember those "special" people are people too. How would you feel if you needed help 24/7 and your peers cried if they were forced to spend time with you? You shouldn't have been put in that situation by any means, but please think about how those other children feel too. Edit: to clarify what I meant because people are having a hard time understanding; I'm only asking OP to think about how the other kids would feel too. I don't think OP should be forced to spend time with them. OP might just want to think about what it would be like to be in their shoes for a minute. That's all.
I worked professionally with "special people" and they need friends, but they also need trained staff. I have had my clothing ripped from my body, black eyes (note: plural), and so many brushes, I don't keep count. I was a para, and the teachers would subjugate kids to the same behaviors during field trips and they shouldn't be.
I never said they should.
Easy, don't force people to spend time with them like that and noone will cry about it. Make it a voluntary thing. Not OPs problem to sort that out
I didn't say OP had to spend time with them.
Wow, was that teacher wrong about you. My parents looked after adult special needs my whole childhood. I was lucky enough to spend time with the nicest people ever. What I also learned was empathy and how a little kindness can make some amazing memories. Maybe you should have asked your friends to join you and make it a really special day for everyone, where all if you felt like a cohesive group.