Phoenix Union overhauls field trip policy 6 months after football camp death
Six months after a student drowned during a school football trip, the Phoenix Union High School District governing board unanimously voted Thursday to overhaul its rules governing student travel.
The new eight-page policy is considerably more extensive than the district’s former eight-sentence policy for field trips. It prohibits swimming, along with several other activities like scuba diving, rock climbing and zip lining, unless the activity relates to an Arizona Interscholastic Association-sanctioned sport or competition. It also requires prior approval from district administration for all water activities.
"PXU is always reviewing and revising our processes and procedures connected to all school-related business," district spokesperson Richard Franco wrote in a statement. "This practice is connected to our commitment of continuous improvement to best serve our students, staff, and community."
In July, 15-year-old Phoenix Union student Christopher Hampton died during a football camp in Show Low. His death was ruled an accidental drowning by the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office, and his mother issued a notice of claim in August stating that she planned to sue the district.
The new Phoenix Union policy outlines approval procedures for student trips and mandates there be at least one certified employee or authorized adult for every 10 students for overnight, out-of-state and international trips, and one for every 15 students for local trips.
It also requires serious injuries or fatal accidents to be reported to the principal or their designee immediately and state teachers should carry copies of emergency cards for each student, a list of emergency numbers and a working cellphone.
"School personnel are responsible for maintaining an emergency preparedness plan and ensuring that all necessary provisions have been made for known special medical problems or conditions," the policy states.
Phoenix Union's old field trip policy aligned with the model policy from the Arizona School Boards Association, which offers guidance to member school districts across the state. It mandated field trips be approved by the superintendent and be appropriate for age level, grade level and curriculum, and required written permission from parents or legal guardians. It also stated that transportation be provided only by district-approved vehicles and driven by authorized personnel, and that field trips in general should be conducted within the normal school day.
The district's new policy goes into effect on July 1.
Madeleine Parrish covers K-12 education. Reach her at mparrish@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Union overhauls field trip policy after football camp death
