Team Transportation to Non-Events

[Michael Corsetto]

Originally Posted by MechEng83

Our mentors are prohibited from transporting students for any events or even coming to practice due to liability concerns. When a mentor is also a parent, it blurs the line.

Your mentors aren't allowed to come to practice? Is that due to the particular venue practice takes place in? That seems like an odd policy.

To answer the OP:

For any activities that do not require a school field trip form, we have no restrictions on transportation.

For any activities that require a school field trip form, only district-approved drivers can transport students. Parents, mentors and teachers can fill out the necessary forms to become a district approved driver.

We go to 254's facility for practice each year. They meet on a NASA base, so additional restrictions are in place (need at least 2 mentors, 6 or so people max, etc). Since we only go to 254's shop for driver practice, we end up taking a small team (drive + pit crew).

Sean,

I can understand the liability from an insurance/accident perspective concerning rides. What specific YPP concerns keep you from having mentors transport students? We train our entire team on YPP, and operate under a "rule of three", which tends to mitigate YPP concerns. The rule of three applies to transportation, as well as team meetings. (In case you aren't familiar with the rule of three, it just means making sure at least three people are in a room (or vehicle), so that an adult isn't left one-on-one with a student.)

Is there something we are missing concerning YPP as it relates to transportation? Or is it more of a proactive sort of decision?

Great thread.

-Mike