home school and chasing

[david diehl]

can anyone help me out with this,

I have a couple home school students in my area that I know and I have told them that I would take them out chasing for a weekend, or a week, or a day to help them with a science credit.
I was wondering what all I should get, I know a waver form, and I am thinking of a fee, just to help cover food, gas, and lodging if it is for a few days, however I am unsure as to what other things I should do to get this ball rolling for the 2009 season. for sure I am thinking memorial day weekend just because it has always been a good weekend in the past for chasing, however timing can be figured out later.
I am just unsure as to what all I would need for the students to cover me in the event that something should happen, violation of rules I have already figured out as I am strict on rules for them.

any advise would be appreciated.
Thank you

 

[Jesse Risley]

I really don't understand what some see as harmful about these endeavors. I would recommend that you consult a legal professional about any "waiver" documents. Explain to the parents what's involved and set everything out in the open. Just typing up your own legal document on Word and getting Joe Dad to sign doesn't protect you from litigation, and neither does having some sort of a legal waiver if someone finds one of your actions to be negligent (as was explained to me by a friend who's an attorney).

I would be careful who you tell too. I tried taking some of my high school students storm chasing, and a vocal minority in the community pitched an absolute fit (busybody adults and parents are the worst). The school administrators basically sided with the whiners and allowed it to become a possible termination issue if it didn't stop. Heaven forbid that an unmarried male would actually want to help kids learn about a professional hobby.

 

[Brandon Sullivan]

Since I've been through the situation, I can tell you how much it stinks...

Basically, everyone frowned upon how my teacher and I shared an avid interest in weather.And even if it was not chasing, it just was looked down upon.. Although of course we know that there is nothing "strange" going on, it is the other instances in the media, that make it look bad for everyone else..

I dont know much over the whole legality stuff, it was the social images and issues that we had to deal with..

Anyways, I would test the waters slowly, and make sure you have signed permission from parents.. Not to discourage you, because I know I was disheartened when I had to miss out..

 

[Shane Adams]

This thread ties into the one about cutting costs for me...in the end it's all about the fact that muggles are completely ignorant of what chasing is and what it means to chasers. It infuriates me how people with a passing interest in anything can simply dismiss it out of hand like it's nothing, simply because they themselves have no passion or loyalty to anything other than money.

****ing slaves.

 

[Kevin Myatt]

Dave Carroll and I take 2-3 high school students to the Plains each May within a group of mostly college-age students. He's been doing it since the 1990s, I've been on board for 4 years. Dave has had some incredible support from his school's administration and parents in the past. Some school administrators and parents do balk at the notion of teens storm chasing ... though ANY Friday night on a high school football field carries more risk than an entire 2-week storm chase. (And our biggest risk is the same as it is for a 2-week cross-country band trip: traveling highways in dry weather en route to the storms).

I've PM'ed you.

 

[Jesse Risley]

Some school administrators and parents do balk at the notion of teens storm chasing ... though ANY Friday night on a high school football field carries more risk than an entire 2-week storm chase. (And our biggest risk is the same as it is for a 2-week cross-country band trip: traveling highways in dry weather en route to the storms).

Kudos to you guys for being able to implement and support this activity in a successful manner! I can guarantee that it will make an impact on those kids. There are young adults who are seriously interested in chasing, and some of them are even reading these threads.

I might add that the problem I ran into had absolutely nothing to do with "dangers" of storm chasing itself. People around here simply assumed that only someone with prurient, perverse intentions would wish to interact with minors in such a manner outside of the school hours. That's the reality of our candy arse culture. Things didn't end well for me.

I was actually told by an educational professional that behavior similar to this is typified in shows like NBC's To Catch a Predator.

 

[Dave Carroll]

school-related chasing

Kevin alerted me to this thread...otherwise I certainly would have missed it. I've been taking high schoolers chasing with me since 1992. Initially it was a summer trip after the school year ended, but as time passed the interest level grew to the point where I had the nerve to ask the administration for 2 weeks off in May and take a select number of students with me during the year(those that stayed behind actually helped as lab support, and we phoned the classes and listened to their ideas on convection for the day)...and the answer was YES!

Two things were in place that produced the positive result: a) a long teaching history in the same location b) a very forward-thinking superintendent of schools. I have 20 years of teaching in the same school, and have taken students on various trips since the beginning (actually, chasing was viewed by the admins as being on the tame end compared to the rock climbing and mountaineering trips to the Cascades and Rockies I also lead).

However, both Kevin and I know that most school officials will not even consider it: we expanded our range to accept high school students from other areas, and only one school system allowed a student to go this year, despite student interest from many other schools. A sad sign of the times.

-Dave

 

[david diehl]

thank you all for the insight to some troubles that I might face, I guess I am going to concider myself lucky sence I am looking to do this for Home Sechoolers, that should releave a ton of administrative issues.
I would still take information, and I will also keep posted here what I find for information, maybe eventually I will start a blog about this endevour on my own site.

thanks again

 

[Paul Austin]

I might add that the problem I ran into had absolutely nothing to do with "dangers" of storm chasing itself. People around here simply assumed that only someone with prurient, perverse intentions would wish to interact with minors in such a manner outside of the school hours. That's the reality of our candy arse culture. Things didn't end well for me.

I was actually told by an educational professional that behavior similar to this is typified in shows like NBC's To Catch a Predator.

Yeah, this view makes it amost impossible for non-established off-campus activities. You don't see this kind of outcry for music, chearleading, or math competition-type trips, even when the teacher takes the kids alone. Maybe having direct parental involvement/chaperones could open doors in some locales. Perhaps tying the chasing in with a career focus, such as Emergency Management, Met, etc.... Must have been very frustrating with kids who were genuinely interested.