"There were chaperones there, the kids were of legal drinking age, and [B] no one realized there was any danger. [/B]"
You're in a country that is not your own, the people around you are strangers and many of them are of another race, and the 'kids' you are chaperoning likely have never been out of Alabama, much less the USA -- no wonder 'no one realized there was any danger'.
When I was 21 on a round the world cruise, I was in Italy during a massive anti-American demonstration (I can read Italian, and the signs were all in Italian). A girl friend of mine from California waded into the middle of the crowd and started taking pictures. "Oh they won't bother me," she said. "I am an American!" Fortunately a wiser chaperone dragged her out of the crowd and explained to her that this crowd had gathered to demonstrate AGAINST AMERICANS, and take her away from the situation. It was the first time in her life she had ever heard of "Anti Americanism".
Eighteen year olds are not necessarily capable of mature judgment.
Well, bless their hearts. You reckon they were advised to wear their shoes when they left Alabama? Mt. Brook has one of the highest incomes per capita in the US. I expect, that not only have the kids been "out of Alabama" more than once, but they have also been out of the country more than once in their lives. As far as danger goes, how many posts have we read about how "safe" Aruba is? It is presented as one of the safest places to travel to. There are dangers everywhere. The fact any of these kids have survived going to downtown Birmingham proves they know about danger.