Abstract
For decades, the instructional field trip has been viewed as a strategy to enhance students’ learning experiences. Yet what happens when an award-winning teacher is accused of choking a student while on a field trip? Tempers flare among community members, parents contact the police, and the principal is assigned the daunting task of investigating a staff member for assault and battery. This case study provides an opportunity for aspiring principals to analyze legal challenges posed by the supervision of students during instructional field trips. In addition, students will explore school board and site-based school policies regarding field trips and examine guidelines regarding due process for teachers. Finally, an analysis of the principal’s relationship with the teacher’s union representative will help prepare future administrators in working with negotiated contracts.
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