Wednesday, May 18, 2016
and Amanda Tonoli
POLAND
School-district officials dispute the version of a story regarding school field trips that has circulated throughout the community, and which was presented by a high-school student at a board meeting this week.
In an interview Tuesday, Superintendent David Janofa said school officials were made aware in April by a state agency that the district had on several occasions violated a state law that prohibits districts from charging transportation fees to students for educational field trips during school days.
“This is the first time in my three years [with the district] this has come up. It’s been addressed,” Janofa said. “It falls right with me. I take full responsibility.”
Janofa said the issue was brought to his attention by high-school Principal Kevin Snyder, who reportedly was informed by the district transportation supervisor about the notification from the state agency. When Janofa learned of the issue, he said, he immediately advised Snyder the practice was in violation of state law and needed to end, and Snyder notified teachers the practice would no longer be permitted.
Janofa said the district is working to make sure it is fully in compliance with state law and to find alternative funding mechanisms for trips. He said no field trips were canceled as a direct result of the finding and that there are no plans for cancellations in the future.
That account is in opposition to one presented by Jeff Vrabel Jr., a junior at Poland Seminary High School, who contended at a school-board meeting Monday he has been cast as a scapegoat by teachers and administrators after he questioned the high school’s previous practice of charging students transportation fees for field trips.
Vrabel believes some people in the district blame him for field-trip cancellations they attribute to his actions. Janofa, however, said only one trip has been canceled, and that the cancellation was unrelated to the fees issue.
Despite Janofa’s contention notification from the state – rather than Vrabel’s actions – actually initiated a policy change, school-board members and Snyder did not correct, challenge or respond to Vrabel’s claims as presented at the board meeting.
Snyder and board members would not comment on the topic publicly, nor at the request of a Vindicator reporter.
Janofa did not attend the meeting, for personal reasons.
Additionally, Snyder did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
In addition to reported harassment before his school-board presentation, Vrabel told The Vindicator that multiple people approached him at school Tuesday with negative responses. Two teachers confiscated the copy of The Vindicator he brought with him to school and told him he could have it back at the end of class, he said.
He said another teacher confronted him about “throwing us under the bus,” and Snyder reportedly called him down to the office for questioning, to which Vrabel said he declined to respond.
Janofa declined to comment specifically about Vrabel but said he spoke with Snyder on Tuesday about the matter and found Vrabel’s claims about reactions from school staffers to be unsubstantiated.
Janofa said school officials are working to “ensure we discontinue that [practice], and ensure other ways we can create those experiences for our young people.”
Meanwhile, other local school districts contacted Tuesday by The Vindicator indicated that they have been in compliance with the state law on field-trip fees, which was implemented in 2013.
“Boardman has always adhered to the law when it comes to nonroutine use of school buses,” Boardman Superintendent Frank Lazzeri said.
He pointed to the section of the Ohio Revised Code that governs field-trip transportation, which states: “No pupil charge shall be made for transporting pupils to and from educational field trips during school days.”
“Meaning, the only time you can charge for field trips would be nonschool-day field trips. Field trips that are an extension of the classroom, you cannot charge,” Lazzeri said.
Vince Colaluca, Austintown schools superintendent, said despite the state law prohibiting charging students for field-trip transportation fees coming into effect in 2013, Austintown has been practicing it since 2008 when he became superintendent.
He said in his experience, schools used to have a field-trip fund in their budgets.
“It’s a very difficult situation because districts used to have money to allocate for field trips and, unfortunately for us, we don’t have the dollars to do that,” he said.
Instead, Colaluca said, money is raised for field trips through student fundraising, private donors and Parent-Teacher Association programs.
Matthew Bowen, Campbell schools superintendent, said even though field-trip transportation costs are not an issue, admission fees for some facilities still apply.
“Through the generosity of our PTOs, community leaders and business leaders, they help offset the cost of field trips [admission costs] for our students and make these trips possible,” Bowen said.
Dennis Dunham, South Range schools superintendent, said because field trips come in all different shapes and sizes, he seeks to create an “educational blend” to reward students.
“We don’t charge for educational trips, but even those noneducational, we try to help if a kid can’t afford it – we can maybe raise money,” Dunham said.
According to Canfield schools’ bylaws, students may only be responsible for transportation for educational field trips on nonschool days. The responsibility is dependent on private donations and money the district has available.
“The kids don’t have to pay,” said Harry Evans, chief of operations at the Youngstown City School District.
The money comes from Title 1, student-activity funds, principal’s funds, grants and donations, he said.
Title 1 is a federal program to benefit economically disadvantaged students.
Contributor: Denise Dick, staff reporter.