You might also want to look into laws stating how the adult per student ratio should be on a field trip for that age group. I'm not sure where you would go to look it up. But here in NY state its for every 5 students we need 1 chaperone for elementary.
I definitely think you need to look into all the laws she is violating here. Something must have happened. But if you go to the meetings with information and parents you should make some leeway.

Good Luck

Cindy

YYEEAAHHH!!!

The best you and the other parents can do is keep the Board informed and make sure you document "stuff"--keep a compisition journal in your "car" and write everything down. I'm hoping for your sake she just retires, on her own, at the end of the year.

Once "we" became organized with our concerns and consistant, we were taken very seriously!

Glad to see you are making progress!! We wish you the best on your stand!

Since she removed the chains when told to by the fire marshal, no charges were filed. I did find our parental involvemnet law and it clearly states parents can not even be discouraged from entering school or classrooms. Her own words were field trips are an extenson of the classroom. She is so used to people not questioning her, she probably never thought we would look up the law. I spoke to several board members yesterday and they now agree the law is being violated and the field trip rule must be changed. Last spring they wouldn't even consider it, so we are making progress.

Originally posted by pals:
Nothing against old principals but at the age of 70 plus if she is locking people out maybe she needs her head examine.

Were there charges filed by the fire dept?? Another question/consern to be brought to the school district, can she be made aware the parents of her students are asking if this is possible! :confused:

Hey Tara, how do the teachers feel about this? Are they ready to take on this challenge?
Our school is right now moving on from a difficult Principal and something that helped was to contact the person with your school district that handles conflict/issues. Ask for an investgation and offer a neutral/safe person for parents and staff to talk with. The BOE is not always equiped to handle 30+ parents coming to a meeting and making a plea but to ask for someone to look into this, talk to staff, help you make sense of what is going on with this person. DOes the district have a copy or know about the "lock out"? You maybe surprised!
Also, remember there is a big difference between how we think things should be and how things need to be and how the Principal wants it to be . Right or wrong, old fashioned and outdated, she is still there to do a job and her boss (the school district-- "we" the parents don't write her paycheck) needs to be shown evidence.

Our situation took the entire school year and it was Mid-March when everything hit the fan and by June she was fired by our own school board. No flaming torches or picketing parents just research, documentation, meetings and patience.

My final thought - there had to have been something that happened last year that made her implement this crazy policy. She must have an incredible budget to pay overtime for the staff going! HA HA HA!!!

Hang in there.....