Field Trips Reinstated To Baltimore City: Carroll County Schools

CARROLL COUNTY, MD -- Carroll County Public Schools lifted its suspension of field trips to Baltimore City. School officials cited conversations with Baltimore personnel and this week's announcement by Gov. Larry Hogan of a plan to reduce violent crime, in a statement issued Friday about the change.

Carroll County Public Schools Superintendent Stephen Guthrie made the decision to restrict field trips to Baltimore in November with encouragement from Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees after a parent expressed concern about violence in tourist areas.

"...during this period of evaluation following our initial decision," Guthrie said, the sheriff "has been actively communicating with Baltimore City officials to gain a better understanding of their plans to improve public safety in high tourist areas."

In addition, the sheriff and school officials worked on modifying their own procedures for outings.

As a result, Carroll County Public Schools revised its protocol for field trips, reducing unstructured time during outings and tightening communication protocols among teachers, chaperones and bus drivers. The guidelines are at the end of the article.

"The collaborative effort between Superintendent Guthrie and my office brought about positive changes that will ensure that student and staff safety is our paramount concern regardless of where they travel,” Sheriff Wees said in a statement Friday.

• Maryland Governor Rolls Out Violent Crime Reduction Plan
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“I want to thank the community for their patience and input during this time. This is an outstanding example of our community coming together to provide our students with varied educational opportunities while at the same time ensuring their safety and well-being,” Guthrie said. "We are also grateful to Governor Larry Hogan and Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh for expressing their concerns and outlining their initiatives to curb violence in Baltimore. We appreciate their efforts and the steps they are taking to enhance security."

Here are the new Carroll County Public Schools Field Trip Guidelines, including a special form that teachers or administrators must complete if traveling to Baltimore City:

Photo of Baltimore by Elizabeth Janney.