Posted on 02/02/2007 7:38:28 PM PST by Dianna
INDEPENDENCE, Ky. -- When Derrick Carlson left for a school field trip last month, his parents never dreamed it would be the last time they would ever see him alive.
"He had his group of friends and he was coming into his own," said his father, Ed Carlson.
Derrick had gone on a field trip to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, with his ninth-grade class at Simon Kenton High School, and authorities said he tried to run across a road to a fast-food restaurant and was hit by a car.
“Everybody’s devastated,” Carlson said. “It’s not something you ever expect to happen.”
Now Ed and Diana Carlson said they want to learn the details of their son’s last moments, but they said they’ve heard nothing from school officials.
“There was no communication, no effort to establish communication,” Carlson said. “We don’t know about how many chaperones (or) students there were.”
The police report cited a witness who said students were unsupervised at the time of Derrick’s death, and the Carlsons said that testimony was underlined and written in bold letters.
“We felt it was their duty to come and tell us the details of what happened,” Carlson said.
School officials said they’re speaking through the Carlson’s attorney, Eric Deters, at the family’s request.
“To the Kenton County School Board’s credit, we have opened up a dialogue,” Deters said.
“(They’ve) given me insurance information (and) hopefully there can be a resolution for all the parties without having litigation,” Deters said.
One thing all parties said they hope to accomplish is to make sure something like this never happens again.
"I think everybody needs to know what happened that day, the parents of those on the field trip and all the parents of kids in Kenton County schools,” Diana Carlson said. “They deserve an explanation."
I would like to make several things clear. The Superintendent's statement that he was working through our lawyer, at out request, comes from a conversation I had with him a FULL MONTH after our son's death. He had asked me if I wanted to deal directly with the school's insurance company.
As recently as January 24th, the Superintendent received a letter stating that we still had no answers. He spoke with my lawyer yesterday and made NO offer to come forward with information.
Within half an hour of the newscast, he called me on the phone. We will meet on Monday to find out what happened.
Easy there, July 4th. This article is about the thread poster's own son.
Was this your son?
If so sorry about your loss and hope you find the info.
Still keeping you and your family in prayer.
They had no permission to take my son anywhere other than what the field trip permission slip asked for. That was to Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Chaperones were on the trip, but neither teachers nor chaperones seemed to be anywhere around when several kids were trying to cross a 5 lane street at 4:00 pm, outside of the crosswalk.
I expect better than that.
Yes, that's the explanation. Except for one small detail. Why was he allowed to do it? If it happened on out-of-school time, it would be different.
Very sorry to hear. I must not have seen the original thread.
This was your son? I am so very sorry.
Fate vs. chaos theory. If a butterfly had flapped its wings, there's a chance he would still be alive. (Or perhaps more people would have died....)
Chaperones would have (should have) insisted that the kids follow the law, crossing on the crosswalk, when it was their turn to go.
I so hope that you can find out what you want to know, and that you have closure on this soon.
I can't imagine what it must have been like...may God grant you peace, now.
It's a sad state in the world when you have to go to such measures to force someone to do the right thing. Shouldn't just being a human being have compelled these folks to come forward and offer whatever you needed?
I will continue to pray for God's strength to help you walk these days. It's obvious that it has sustained you and your family.
Yes. Have you never known a teenager to do something stupid? Make a bad judgement? That's why we have chaperones.
THAT seems to be the relevant question.
Ignore the riff raff that has to be snarky just for the heck of it.
I hope you get the answers you are looking for and eventually the wound starts to heal.
Field trips are a nightmare or a disaster waiting to happen and this case it all came true....
However, I sure would not expect a ninth grader would run into traffic but kids at this age act on impulse....such heartbreak for the family and his friends...
prayers for this family
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