Child prevented from going on school trip. Who pays?

[Doobs]

Two weeks sgo my daughter was due to go away for a week on a school trip.  On the Thursday night before she went she picked up a bug and was vomitting on and off between 2 and 5.  After this she was grouchy and grumpy for the weekend but didn't vomit again.  I had the same bug, so have a very good grasp on how long I was sick too and it was literally a few hours in the afternoom and I felt fine the next day.

On the Monday my wife took her to school to go on this trip and mentioned she had been sick 3 days previously (don't ask!). 

The school has a policy that if you have sickness or diarrhea that you shouldn't go to school for 48 hours.  This was the policy in place for the school trip.

After my wife mentioned the bug, 4 people including the head and family liaison woman, had a discussion and decided my daughter couldn't go on the trip.  This is despite the fact my daughter was well outsude the 48 hour rule(it was just outside 72 hours). My wife said that they had said something along the lines of if my wife couldn't guarantee that my daughter wouldnt be sick on the coach then she couldn't go.  This had all taken some time and the coach was getting later. My wife gave up and the coach left without my daughter.   Pretty sure I wouldn't have given up so easily, but no matter.

My daughter was obviously devastated about this.  She is 8 and this was her first big trip.  She had done a 2 nighter; this was the whole week.  In addition she was blamed for the delay in leaving by the teachers on the coach.   Well they said a child was ill, but all her friends knew who was missing.  She wasalso upset last week because "everyone is lying and she wasn't sick".

It is too late to turn the clock back, but today my wife has asked for "insurance documents" from the school.  I think we have paid for a service that the school chose not to provide so the school should just pay our money back.  If they want to claim from their insurers that has nothing to do with us.  I am also of the view that they have completely balls this up and owe me and my daughter and apology.  If you have a policy just stick to it, and don't make stuff up on the hoof.

Who is right? 

Fwiw I don't blame Europe.   

[Graham C]

I'm not sure where you stand but I think you're right and I'd be of the same mind if it had happened to us.   You may be better off putting it in writing and sending a letter to the Head.

I'm not sure how any parent can guarantee that their child won't be sick on the coach, lots of children suffer from travel sickness.

[celtic]

It's seems to me that the schools decided she wasn't going, therefore they should refund.

[StuartHopkin]

I'm not sure where you stand but I think you're right and I'd be of the same mind if it had happened to us.   You may be better off putting it in writing and sending a letter to the Head.

I'm not sure how any parent can guarantee that their child won't be sick on the coach, lots of children suffer from travel sickness.

If it was me I would have vouched for her in this situation rather than guaranteed! 

[Doobs]

Thanks all.  Would definitely have vouched if I was there.  I am in full agreement with Graham.  I can't remember her ever been travel sick apart from once on a plane, but sod's law is bound to come into play.

I was wrong before.  My wife just went to school today and asked the head when we were getting the money back and was told by the head that she (the head) needed to find the insurance documents.  So my wife didn't ask for them.  It was the head that suggested they were needed.  My wife pretty much agrees with me, but it just wasn't clear from the text she sent me.

It is just a bit irritating.   You teach the kids that honesty is best , but she is bright enough to realise if nothing had been said she would have been on the trip.  Meh. Maybe that is the right lesson.