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Teachers sometimes run teens' wild Cancun trips
Free travel offered as incentive
May 7, 2001
BY TAMARA AUDI >br>FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
High school spring break trips that include unlimited drinking and sexually-themed parties are sometimes organized and escorted by teachers, coaches and school board members, according to tour companies and travel experts.
Although most educators discourage their 17- and 18-year-old students from going to alcohol-fueled resorts like Cancun, Mexico, others contend their students will be safer if a teacher goes along. Often, the teachers are rewarded with free travel.
"We'll have maybe a football coach organize a trip, or maybe a school administrator. Usually a parent, a coach, some kind of adult, will go along as a chaperone," said Shawn Andreas, an official at Sun and Surf Tours in Melbourne, Fla. The tour company sells spring break and graduation trips to Cancun and Caribbean locations to high school and college students throughout the country.
Like many tour companies, Sun and Surf Tours offers a free, all-inclusive trip for every 15 students an organizer can muster.
Canequia Wardlaw, an algebra teacher at Pontiac Central High School, organized a group of 25 teens to go to Cancun for spring break last month. She received her trip free from the travel company.
"The kids came to me and said, 'Miss Coco, please will you plan our spring break trip for us?' " said Wardlaw, who is known at school as Miss Coco. "The school doesn't sponsor trips like that. And to me, it was like, they're going to go to Cancun anyway, they might as well have an adult go with them. It's worse if they don't."
The teens in her group were from the Pontiac, Rochester and Avondale school districts. Wardlaw said she took students on snorkeling trips and tours of Mexican ruins, but they also had access to clubs and bars.
Most schools do not sanction such noneducational trips, but Detroit-area superintendents said they cannot prevent a teacher, coach or school board member from sponsoring trips on their own time. Nor can they stop the growing number of teenagers from taking the trips, they said, no matter how much they disapprove because of the dangers involved.
Mexico's drinking age is 18, but it is rarely enforced in Cancun. During this spring break season in Cancun, one Illinois teenager was killed in a moped accident, a Michigan girl was drugged with the date-rape drug GHB and dozens from the United States were treated for alcohol poisoning or arrested in bar brawls.
A Free Press series last month on the growing number of high school students traveling to Cancun on spring break prompted hundreds of calls and letters from readers, including dozens of teachers. Many said they were outraged that parents would send their children into Cancun's alcohol-fueled and sexually charged environment.
Schools won't sanction
"This has turned into now something that's almost expected for spring break, and the age level keeps getting younger. We discourage it in every way possible," said Ralph Coaster, superintendent of Lake Fenton Community Schools, a small district near Flint. "This is not sanctioned by the school in any way."
For the last six years, roughly half the senior class from Lake Fenton High School has traveled as a group to Cancun, parents in the district said. Last month, a group of 50 teens from the school traveled there accompanied by 40 parents. It was unclear who ogranized the trip this year.
But in 1998, the trip was organized by the daughter of Lake Fenton's School Board president, John Sharpe.
Sharpe said last week that he had reservations about the trip, but wanted to take part in it to watch over his daughter, Becca, who was in high school. Organizational meetings for the students and parents involved, which he attended, were held at his house.
"I agree with the superintendent. I'm not crazy about these trips. But the kids were going. I was concerned as a parent," Sharpe said.
Sharpe said he declined a free trip from the travel company because he felt it would conflict with his role as a school board member. He said his daughter received a free trip for providing enough students.
Sharpe said he sent a letter to parents explaining that the trip was not sanctioned by the school. "I'm the president of the school board," he said. "I didn't want anybody to think that it was anything the school would want any part of."
But others said the involvement of a school official or teacher gives the impression that the trip is safe and has at least the tacit support of the school.
"I thought, 'This is the school board president, so it's OK,' " said Frank Yow, a parent who attended a meeting at Sharpe's home about the 1998 trip. During the meeting, "a travel representative started talking about the bars and the parties they had scheduled for the kids, and I thought, 'Wait a minute. My daughter is not doing this.' "
Teachers organizing alcohol-filled spring break trips is a fairly new development in student travel, industry experts said. Traditionally, teachers only organized educational trips.
"Teachers taking kids on a trip that encourages underage drinking is even more disturbing than kids choosing to go themselves," said Michael Palmer, executive director of the Student Youth Travel Association, a national trade group based in Lake Orion. "Parents should be encouraged to know what trips kids are going on, who they're going with and what they're going to do when they get there."
Teacher: 'Never again'
Some school officials regret the trips they chaperoned or sponsored.
"Never again," said Wardlaw, the teacher. Watching over the students was more work than she expected.
"It was wild. I had to come up with activities to keep them from drinking," she said. Wardlaw said she banged on their doors at 8 a.m. to get them up and tried to fill the days with outdoor activities and nonalcoholic events. "All they wanted to do was go to the clubs," she said.
Despite her efforts to keep her students safe, one ended up in the hospital with a burst eardrum as the result of a moped accident.
A Dearborn Heights school board member who accompanied her daughter and 63 other students to Cancun last month said she also regrets the trip. The board member, Colleen Krizanic, said she did not get a free trip because she went through a local travel agent and not directly through the tour operator.
Krizanic said she made it clear to parents that she was traveling as a parent and not as a representative of the school district.
Once in Mexico, she said, she questioned her decision to go.
"It was out of control. I think when you place a 17- or 18-year-old kid in this environment, you're setting yourself up for problems," she said. "I was worried the entire time about all the kids. I am a school board member. I felt a grave responsibilty to these kids. I was very heavy laden during the trip."
Krizanic plans to discourage classes from taking the trip.
Now, weeks after spring break, school counselors are beginning to deal with the aftermath of wild trips.
"I hate those first days back after spring break," said Libby Wolosiewicz, a counselor at Troy Athens High School. "Every year, we have kids who come back with induced psychosis from being drug poisoned, or kids who have been raped, or lost their virginity when they had no idea whether they did or didn't want to."
Wolosiewicz said she is alarmed that school officials would organize Cancun trips.
"That's like saying, 'I wipe my hands of any responsibility of my kids' lives as long as I get a free trip,' " she said.
To read the Free Press series on The New Spring Break, go to gfwwwwww.freep.com
Contact TAMARA AUDI at 313-222-6582 or audi@freepress.com.
American kids go to Mexico to drink?
Shocking!
Most Arizonans avoid Mexico during spring break for this reason.
Some folks go south during spring break to hit on the drunk 'murican girls. Seems like the further they come from, the more gullible they are.
The swimming pools can be cleaned later, but the fishing suffers from all the spermicide put in the ocean.
....but the fishing suffers from all the spermicide put in the ocean.
Now I finally know who to blame when the tuna are not cooperating.
The swimming pools can be cleaned later, but the fishing suffers from all the spermicide put in the ocean.
Well, at least my day can't go any further downhill from here. Yuck.
Kinda early in the morning for you to be stirring up trouble, isn't it ?
Yes.
"The school doesn't sponsor trips like that. And to me, it was like, they're going to go to Cancun anyway, they might as well have an adult go with them.
Nor can they stop the growing number of teenagers from taking the trips
I'm not crazy about these trips. But the kids were going. I was concerned as a parent,"
Three times in this article is says teens are going, and parents have no control and are not able to stop them. That is NOT how it works in my house. Where is the backbone?
"...when you place a 17- or 18-year-old kid in this environment, you're setting yourself up for problems,..."
Does anyone think that that "kid" is going to be any smarter
when they're an 18-19 year old adult?
They are setting themselves up for problems when they don't
teach them to act responsibly when they are 8-17.
Expecting a hormone-ridden, peer-pressure-driven adolescent
to suddenly start using their brain
at a certain age is
just ignoring the facts.
Actually practicing hands-on parenting gets in the way of their careers and free time. Letting the kids live, "Gotta be free, gotta be me", lifestyles makes for more smiles and time for raquetball.
When my middle school kids wanted to go to Cancun, I figured, what the heck, they'll only be 7th and 8th graders once. Probably. How those kids managed to get passports and fake ID's is still a puzzle.
Those little rascals!
It was out of control. I think when you place a 17- or 18-year-old kid in this environment, you're setting yourself up for problems
If this lady's head hasn't totally exploded from brilliance of her observation, maybe what's left of her brain stem will become conservative.
ROTFL !
I know those schools, and the main problem is that they do not allow ANY parents to go with them , as additional chaperons, or helpers. It became clear as soon as I heard that the policiy in Troy Michigan was to prohibit parents, that the Troy teachers wanted to be able to do whatever they wanted without parental supervision. No surprize here what happens on those trips, since the only chaperons are from the NEA.
A long time ago, it was customary for the school, the PTA or the PTO to ask if any parents wanted to volunteer to help on trips and outings, now they specifically say that no parent is allowed to go with them and see what is happening.
Why should a parent let a minor go to Cancun? That's insane.
Why should a parent let a minor go to Cancun? That's insane.
It is insane. Even if the parents are too weak to control their kids by telling them no, they still control them with money. I don't see why parents would give money for their kids to do this.
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The only time you'll hear any outrage and indignation is if these kids wanted to learn math, English, history and science. |
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When my middle school kids wanted to go to Cancun, I figured, what the heck, they'll only be 7th and 8th graders once. Probably. How those kids managed to get passports and fake ID's is still a puzzle.
You don't need a passport to go to Mexico, just a birth certificate and picture I.D.
My wife and I were there (Cancun) during spring break last year. There were THOUSANDS of teenagers there.
The bars during spring break are different than here in that they stay open until 4:00 (or even 5:00) in the morning. You pay $15 - 16 cover charge to get in and then it's OPEN BAR! When the kids go in they put a little plastic bracelet on like you get in the hospital. The kids brag about how many of these they've collected.
The bars in Mexico aren't real particular about enforcing the drinking age. When we got up early in the morning, we found almost every little cabana had 2-3 guys sleeping in them. Those were the little huts that sell hot dogs, drinks, etc during the day. We never saw any girls in them, just guys. We figured they just paid the air fare to get there and winged it the rest of the time since they knew it would be warm, they didn't even get a room.
Again, parental responsibility is key.
I was allowed to go to spring break in Daytona Beach once I was in college.i.e 18 years old or older. Who in there right mind even allows their child to go away alone for what everyone knows is a drunk/sex fest?
Sure was a blast when I went, again despite what my drivers license read, I was nineteen years old.
Say what you will about the acting, but watching the movie, "Brokedown Palace" should be enough to motivate any child from wanting to run off and explore some third-world country. Better yet, it should be enough to convince any parent to fulfill their parental responsibilities and not allow their kids to go.
I know those schools, and the main problem is that they do not allow ANY parents to go with them , as additional chaperons, or helpers.
Yeah, they could draw straws and the students who draw the short straws would be forced to have their parents come along as chaperones.
You don't need a passport to go to Mexico, just a birth certificate and picture I.D.
I see you called my bluff.
Our county is dry, so we don't get Spring Breakers, but the adjacent counties do. Panama City Beach is for those who can't afford Cancun. It's packed for weeks and every year some kid dies falling off of a balcony while attempting drunk handstands on the railing. My kids are lucky to get to go to the mall.
I am OUTRAGED by this article! OUTRAGED that they didn't have these Cancun trips when I was in high school.
Often, the teachers are rewarded with free travel.
Free travel? Hmmm..... Any Freepers want to come along on a wild Cancun trip with Ol' PJ as your chaperone?
Eagle: Not calling a bluff. I thought you just might have been mistaken. My wife and I have been to Mexico several times for the Mayan ruins and deep sea fishing.
The other part of the story is that you DO NOT SEE ANY YOUNG PEOPLE UNTIL AT LEAST NOON!! Frankly, I wouldn't go back to Cancun if I was paid. It's sort of like Cleveland by the sea. Our Mayan guide (yes, they still exist as a people) informed us that the day we were there a Taco Bell was opening. Everybody was LOL!
Eagle: Not calling a bluff. I thought you just might have been mistaken. My wife and I have been to Mexico several times for the Mayan ruins and deep sea fishing.
We go to parts of Okaloosa County to look at the trailers and shacks. Good cultural insite into the Native Cracker (yes, they still exist as a People) living near the Gulf of Mexico.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
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