Missing Girl in Aruba
- Thread starter Mckmain
- Start date
As a teacher who has been on senior trips before as a chaperone, I'm so THANKFUL that nothing like this has ever happened to us! Next year's senior class is already talking about a cruise for their senior trip, but I just don't see it happening, especially in light of recent events. This year's class was very lucky to get Disney World approved.
dani21496
Cathlete
>As an avid watcher of programs like Cold Case Files, American
>Justice, New Detectives, City Confidential....
>I sincerely hope she's okay. I let my fears get ahead of me, but >I'm crossing my fingers here.
>Pinky
Oh, I watch all those too and I'm nervous for her family. I read a lot of true crime books also. I hope she is found soon.
>Justice, New Detectives, City Confidential....
>I sincerely hope she's okay. I let my fears get ahead of me, but >I'm crossing my fingers here.
>Pinky
Oh, I watch all those too and I'm nervous for her family. I read a lot of true crime books also. I hope she is found soon.
lilmo
Cathlete
>I feel badly for the parents, but even more so for the
>missing girl.
>
Candi - I agree with both your posts.
It's a horrible thing for a parent to lose a child. But as another viewer/reader of Cold Case/True Crime stuff, I hope Natalee's not going through some of the things I've heard of there.
Mona
>missing girl.
>
Candi - I agree with both your posts.
It's a horrible thing for a parent to lose a child. But as another viewer/reader of Cold Case/True Crime stuff, I hope Natalee's not going through some of the things I've heard of there.
Mona
Dani53
Cathlete
I used to always leap to the worst conclusion, that is until the Elizabeth Smart situation. I will now always hope for the best until something is found otherwise. I know the stats aren't good, but I just hope and pray that they find that beautiful girl alive and well.
I also am a highschool youth leader and know how scary this sort of situation would be. It is my most primitive fear, losing track of someones child that is in my care. At that age it is so easy to let them go to the bathroom alone, or give them some freedom. I have very strict rules on big events about them checking in, with lots of accountability to me, and having a friend or two always sticking together.
My heart goes out the the family, but also the adult chaperones who all must be feeling terrible.
I also am a highschool youth leader and know how scary this sort of situation would be. It is my most primitive fear, losing track of someones child that is in my care. At that age it is so easy to let them go to the bathroom alone, or give them some freedom. I have very strict rules on big events about them checking in, with lots of accountability to me, and having a friend or two always sticking together.
My heart goes out the the family, but also the adult chaperones who all must be feeling terrible.
This is agood reason not to send your child on these ridiculous, not well chaperoned trips. These kids are too far from home to be with strangers. I don't trust too many people that I don't know. Okay call me overprotective, but I work with some really bad people (criminals)and you never know what lurks around you. They (criminals) look for these types of girls and situations to pounce on!
Candi,
The reason this is getting so much press is because the girl is attractive, caucasian and was on a school trip to a place with relatively little crime. Her family's money is probably not a factor.
I worked for many years at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and it was always the cases of the cute white kids that got the media's attention. I hated that. It was such a depressing place to work. I am still haunted by some of the things I saw/heard there.
The reason this is getting so much press is because the girl is attractive, caucasian and was on a school trip to a place with relatively little crime. Her family's money is probably not a factor.
I worked for many years at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and it was always the cases of the cute white kids that got the media's attention. I hated that. It was such a depressing place to work. I am still haunted by some of the things I saw/heard there.
I agree with you! So many of so-called "reward" trips are nothing but a travel agent's dream. I coached cheerleading for almost 10 years until this year, and the reason I quit was because the community (cheerleaders' mothers, in particular) put so much pressure on the school to allow the squad to go on big trips. Every year we would go to camp at a local university and the cheerleading organization that sponsored it (I won't mention any acronyms) would make each girl feel so special when she was picked to be on the "All Star" squad. The girls who were chosen became eligible to go on a big trip (England and Hawaii were a couple) and cheer at a major event (Bowl game or big parade). Well, last year, I had had enough. I didn't mind being responsible for the girls at camp because I felt like we were close enough to home and the campuses were well-guarded. But I just didn't want to do the big trips, so I quit coaching. Last year, another teacher took over (a younger teacher who doesn't have children) and agreed to take whoever made it on the trip. They made it back in one piece, but while they were in Hawaii, one of the cheerleaders in their group (she was from Kentucky, I think) got drunk and fell out of a 10th story window and died instantly. When you are a chaperone and are responsible for 8-10 teens, it's just impossible to know what they're doing every minute of the day, no matter HOW much you try! I was SSSOOOO glad that I had quit!
Sarah
Sarah
MadnNatsmom
Cathlete
I also agree with you about these "senior outings." Aruba????!!! For 17 year olds? What the heck happened to amusement parks? Remember when Hawaii and Carribbean vacations were for honeymooners? Or legal adults, anyway?
Disneyland and Six Flags Magic Mountain were big deals to us when I was in high school 20 years ago.
Limo rides for 9 year olds' birthdays and trips to Aruba for 17 year olds - what is left to do when you hit 21?
Disneyland and Six Flags Magic Mountain were big deals to us when I was in high school 20 years ago.
Limo rides for 9 year olds' birthdays and trips to Aruba for 17 year olds - what is left to do when you hit 21?
I am soooo glad to read these posts! That was my first reaction when I heard about a senior trip to ARUBA! I might be an old fuddy-duddy but that seems highly inappropriate for high school kids! I've never been, not being a beach person, but my friends return with tales of drinking, dancing,drinking, sunbathing, drinking, hooking-up, drinking. I have no issue with adults who want to do that, but high school kids?!
any one remember the days when there was a clear difference between what adults did for fun and what kids did?
www.scifichics.com:
any one remember the days when there was a clear difference between what adults did for fun and what kids did?
www.scifichics.com:
andtckrtoo
Cathlete
I've been debating stepping in and voicing my comment here. I am 40, soon to be 41. One could consider me an old fuddy duddy. Okay, so my senior class never went to Aruba but my French class did go to France, and my Marching Band took some cool trips I remember. I don't know which part of the country you grew up in, but in an ultra conservative part of Pennsylvania, in the lates 70's and early 80's - we didn't need a trip to anywhere to do the things that are being discussed - drinking, etc. In fact a lot of the kids would go work in the beach communities for the summer just be able to do such things without mom and dad around. I'm not condoning these things, FYI. I watch my kids like a hawk, and it drives them crazy - but tough.
I don't think the school sending their kids to Aruba is to blame here. This girl got into a car with three local men who she did not know. She may have been drunk, and that may have been the only reason her inhibitions were lowered, but the reality is she did something really stupid. Heaven knows I've done stupid things in my life, and *knocks on wood* have been fortunate in the outcome. I think she rolled a bad set of dice on this one (I sincerely hope they find her alive and well). I think we need to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the man (men or persons) who made her disappear.
I'm stepping off the soapbox and getting ready to duck for cover.
I don't think the school sending their kids to Aruba is to blame here. This girl got into a car with three local men who she did not know. She may have been drunk, and that may have been the only reason her inhibitions were lowered, but the reality is she did something really stupid. Heaven knows I've done stupid things in my life, and *knocks on wood* have been fortunate in the outcome. I think she rolled a bad set of dice on this one (I sincerely hope they find her alive and well). I think we need to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the man (men or persons) who made her disappear.
I'm stepping off the soapbox and getting ready to duck for cover.
Elaine Keller
Cathlete
What Marla said.
We don't know what happened to her. We don't know if she did something stupid. Regardless, she's not deserving of whatever has happened to her.
Elaine
We don't know what happened to her. We don't know if she did something stupid. Regardless, she's not deserving of whatever has happened to her.
Elaine
No ducking required I agree with you...the guilty parties are squarely to blame in the end, not the girl or her family. And, as you point out, kids don't need a trip to Aruba to find ways to party down or make stupid choices...god knows *I* didn't! I guess my concern is with the adults in their lives who find it appropriate to send their kids off to what is, in my understanding, essentially a party place. When I was a kid we certainly found ways to have unchaperoned fun on school trips, but those trips were to places like France, Soviet Union, England...cultural places where the *focus* wasn't on getting smashed and hooking-up. I just wish we would let kids be kids...sure, teenagers are going to try and sneak around their parents, that happens, but aren't the parents supposed to be the ones saying hey! Cut that out! instead of encouraging it? I'm not a parent so any parents out there feel free to tell me that I don't know what the heck I am talking about!!
I too hope they find her. How dreadful this must be for her family.
Sparrow
________________
www.scifichics.com
I agree with you...the guilty parties are squarely to blame in the end, not the girl or her family. And, as you point out, kids don't need a trip to Aruba to find ways to party down or make stupid choices...god knows *I* didn't! I guess my concern is with the adults in their lives who find it appropriate to send their kids off to what is, in my understanding, essentially a party place. When I was a kid we certainly found ways to have unchaperoned fun on school trips, but those trips were to places like France, Soviet Union, England...cultural places where the *focus* wasn't on getting smashed and hooking-up. I just wish we would let kids be kids...sure, teenagers are going to try and sneak around their parents, that happens, but aren't the parents supposed to be the ones saying hey! Cut that out! instead of encouraging it? I'm not a parent so any parents out there feel free to tell me that I don't know what the heck I am talking about!! I too hope they find her. How dreadful this must be for her family.
Sparrow
________________
www.scifichics.com
Mckmain
Cathlete
Sparrow...I agree. I am 46, I grew up in LA and my Senior trip was to Disneyland! I am very familiar with what happens when you get drunk. I was a HUGE party girl in High School, I made stupid mistakes, not sure how I got good grades!! BUT, the difference is there was no Ecstacy, or GHB or whatever it is they use nowadays to subdue girls and I agree with Marla completely, Natalee was slipped something even if she was drinking. The 3 boys I bet are to blame for whatever happened. One of them has a father that is soon to be a judge?? and the other 2 are brothers have a father that is a prominent businessman in Aruba?...http://bestsmileys.com/wow/1.gif[/img]...wonder why the first time they were questioned they let those 3 go????....yes, I am done venting......Carole
...Carole