The issue reflects a balancing act of money, safety, and time that schools must tackle for such excursions. Hotel stops drive up costs and add to the time students are out of class. And motor-vehicle accidents can happen anywhere. But parents, especially after the Newton crash, could very well demand safety measures such as overnight stays for long trips. Drivers would thus get a chance to rest, and students would have a more comfortable place to sleep.
Some school districts say they support the idea.
That was my communication to principals. Four students from Oak Hill Middle School in Newton were killed early Friday when the bus they were in took the wrong exit, veered off the road, and crashed while headed to a music festival at a school in Nova Scotia. At least 37 people were injured. The last funeral, for Melissa Leung, was held yesterday. Newton school officials have said they might now require just that.