In response to the Sept. 11 attacks and a volatile world arena, Madison Metropolitan School District Supt. Art Rainwater issued a policy Oct. 25 canceling all school-sponsored foreign trips for the entire school year.
Rainwater’s decision will affect trips planned to France and Italy in March and June by 68 students and seven teachers from Madison West, East and Memorial high schools.
Ken Syke, spokesperson for the MMSD, said it was ultimately Rainwater’s decision about foreign travel.
“It’s the Superintendent’s right to approve or not approve school-sponsored foreign and domestic travel,” Sykes said.
Rainwater’s policy does not include domestic travel; student trips across the nation will take place.
Syke said Rainwater’s decision is a safety precaution following a worldwide caution issued by the U.S. State Dept. Oct. 23, which read, “There is a potential for strong anti-American sentiment and for retaliatory actions to be taken against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world by terrorists and those who harbor grievances against the United States.”
Syke said schools bear responsibility for students on trips abroad.
“Ultimately, the school district is responsible for students when they are overseas,” Syke said. “It was a tough decision, but a decision we had to make.”
Student travelers and teacher chaperones will lose a total of $7,500, the portion of their deposits forfeited to travel companies.
However, school board member Bill Keys said this is not a substantial problem.
“I would be willing to give up money for the life of a child,” Keys said. “It’s really a cheap price to pay.”
Keys also said he completely supports Rainwater’s decision to keep Madison students out of potentially dangerous situations.
“We put our students in vulnerable situations when they go overseas anyways,” Keys said. “They don’t have the needed street smarts when they’re in other countries.”
Little student response to the policy has been heard as of yet, Sykes said.
“I’m sure [students] are disappointed, and that is understandable,” he said. “But we as a school district are responsible and liable for students.”
No overseas travel policy changes have been made concerning UW-Madison students, except for the worldwide caution in place.
