Amherst principal disputes rumor of student misbehavior on class trip

AMHERST — An Amherst school official released a statement Monday squashing a rumor that future junior high trips were banned from museums in that nation's capital for misbehaving on a field trip last week. Parents took to social media to discuss what several of their children reported to them upon their return from the annual eighth-grade history class trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the Smithsonian Institution and other locations. The trip took place from Wednesday through Friday. "We are aware there were inaccurate Facebook posts about our student's trip to Washington DC. Our students were not banned from the Smithsonian or any other museums," said Amherst Junior High Principal Andrew Gibson in a statement to The Chronicle-Telegram. A student who spoke with the permission of his parents and whose name was withheld by The Chronicle said that on the first day of the journey students ignored instructions during a stop at a mall and bought souvenirs, despite instructions they were only there to eat. The next day, while they were at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, some kids bought items at a gift shop and then threw them over the railings to the lower level, causing the entire group to be thrown out of the museum early, he said. "One thing I do remember in class today — this was the first time this has ever happened to the Amherst Schools, to get kicked out of a museum," the student said. "Some of the people I know that were perpetrators of it, they were still kind of laughing about how it wasn't a big deal. I think it was wrong. It was embarrassing for the school." Messages to Superintendent Mike Molnar went unanswered and Gibson did not give information regarding what occurred on the trip. The district's "student code of conduct outlines expected behaviors and potential consequences," Gibson wrote. "This behavior is expected to be upheld during any extracurricular activities, including field trips. Amherst Junior High always hopes that our students represent our community in a way we can all be proud of. As per our policy, we do not comment publicly on student disciplinary issues." Gibson's statement said any concerned parents can reach out to him directly at (440) 988-0324 or at andrew_gibson@amherstk12.org. Contact Rini Jeffers at rinijeffers@gmail.com, follow her Facebook.com/RiniJeffers or @RiniJeffers on Twitter.