ozzy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3855259.stm

Don't mind the teacher trying to get a Darwin Award, but to risk the lives of pupils is shocking. There were snow blizzards up there a couple of weeks ago.

Stefan

CrisPDuk

You'd think teachers of all people would be capable of learning from other's (especially other teachers) mistakes They appear to believe that just because they ARE teachers nothing can happen to any group they are in charge of

andrewdelvard

And you appear to believe that ALL teachers would have acted in the same way. Just as illogical as the actions of this teacher.

imlach

1 teacher for 39 pupils. Shocking. They were in uniforms & trainers, and had binliners for waterproofs. The teacher had no map, nor a compass.

Apparently they were less than polite to the mountain rescue team when they arrived.

I reckon that's probably a sackable offence. Potential manslaughter I'd say if anything HAD gone wrong.

Brendan Hughes

I read that. Flabbergasted.

ChrisB

I read that yesterday and nearly fell off my chair in shock.

Daz34

Unbelievable

CrisPDuk

No, I do believe that the vast majority of teachers are better at their job than News International would have us believe. It just seems to me that an increasing number of these incidents are occurring, more often than not resulting in injury or even death to a child, and nobody appears to be doing anything to curb the behaviour of the reckless irresponsible minority. Surely some sections of teacher training courses involve a test for common sense?

Ray_li

if only I was a teacher. Group of 16-17 years olds girls.
FYI. Im 23 not some old git sitting infront of my PC in my bedroom.

Ray

imlach

Bizarrely, you'd probably get sacked from a teaching position for thinking that....

...unlike putting 37 of their lives at risk, to which the public get a wee apology from the school

Ray_li

I would get sacked but I couldnt put up with kids all day lomg.

Ted Maul

This is a private Jewish school and from my cultural experience they have some of the worst teachers imaginable. I'm not surprised at this at all. I would be shocked however if it was a state school.

Graz

It ceases to amaze me some of the idiots you find when out hillwalking. Improperly dressed, no map, compass, etc. Surprised there aren't more deaths each year as a result of it. Mind you that's just individuals, taking 30+ kids up into the Cairngorms without proper preperation and equipment is beyond stupid.

Found a bloke up on the Black Mountains earlier on in the year, completely disorientated in the cloud/fog/snow. Had a map but no compass - doh! Lucky for him I was heading in the same direction he wanted to go.

ChrisB

Seen the same many a time myself Graz (I bet Ozzy has too).

Somebody on the OCuk forums was going to go up Ben Nevis with a GPS unit. I asked what the backup was in case the batteries died or he dropped it. Nothing was the answer

Iwan

When i was at the top of Pen-y-Fan in Wales recently, i spotted a couple of japanese tourists wearing brogues, chinos etc. They had no waterproofs or warm stuff etc, and their "map" was the sort of free one you get at a petrol station showing where all of the happy eaters are.

Lucky for them the weather was good and seemed to be holding (for once).

wiltshire_boy

[fast show mode]
Me, the 15th Earl of Pemberton, on a mountainside, with 39 schoolgirls, with myyy reputation,....are they mad?
[/fast show mode]

Scooby96

A small number of the group suffering from extreme tiredness

Oh the poor little things!

Could have been alot worse, and they were less than polite to those that rescued them, should have left them there for another few hours!

Scooby96

if only I was a teacher. Group of 16-17 years olds girls

- you diiiiirty old ghet - even at 23!

PMSL though

ozzy

A lot does depend on the weather and experience. I've ran up plenty of Munros in Scotland in no more than a pair of fell running shoes, shorts and a Helly Hansen Tee.

I do however never go without a map, compass, water, some food, mobile phone + spare battery, whistle and some warm clothing (even if it's just a lightweight fleece, windproofs or fully waterproofs).

Other than getting lost and taking a dangerous route off a mountain, the most dangerous part is hypothermia or dehydration. Although given the abundance of water lately you'd be hard pushed to miss any drinking water from streams.

Given they were complete novices, they should have at least taken precautions and carried the correct clothing. They also should have been shown how to navigate in poor visibility. The theory is very basic and they should have picked it up in no time. A few excursions in some less dangerous areas would have given them practical navigation out in the field before venturing up a mountain.

Or maybe they should have picked Ben Nevis or Ben Lomond that has dirty great big tourist paths all the way up. Unless you close your eyes, you can't get lost and you just need some decent clothing for the local weather.

Stefan

Brendan Hughes

Yeah, I thought all schoolgirls were taught this?

ozzy

LOL