An Ohio school is citing recent attacks in Texas and New York for cancelling its annual field trip to D.C.
Schools across the country and around the world send thousands of students on field trips to D.C. each year. The North Ridgeville City school district’s decision to cancel their trip could set a new precedent for how schools should respond to growing safety concerns nationwide.
Parents from the Ohio school said they feared something like the truck attack in New York could happen in Washington. Some parents said they would refuse to send their kids on the trip if the students travelled to D.C., according to Superintendent Dr. Jim Powell.
Teachers who would chaperone the trip for about 300 eighth graders had similar concerns. Powell finally cancelled the trip after a man who threatened to kill white police officers was arrested outside the White House earlier this month.
Elliot Ferguson, who leads D.C.’s tourism efforts, said this is common.
“This not the first time it’s happened, but quite frankly, the concern should be for any city,” said Ferguson. “D.C. is a city that prides itself on safety and security.”
“The reality is, there is no such thing as a 100 percent safe place,” the Destination D.C. president and CEO said.
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North Ridgeville is considering closer options of a nearby museum or Ohio’s capital of Columbus for its school trip. The school is not comfortable with sending students out of state, said Powell.
