Deaths prompt review of outdoor education

please please dont let an accident, a one off, ruin the outdoor ed opportunities in our schools. Schools are so restricted by red-tape that they hardly take kids out for field trips anymore. Camping trips were a highlight of my shcool days, they dont even exist for kids now (if they are lucky they get to *camp* in the school hall overnight!!). PLEASE PLEASE acknlowlege this is a rare unfortunate event. DOnt bubble-wrap our kids and deny them the chance for susch awesome activities at OPC and outdoor ed.

I recall a poster in a physiotherapists of a skeleton sitting at a computer desk. There was a toilet s-bend shape to the neck, just like there is with so many people looking at computers and tvs. The caption said "Serious spinal injury at zero miles per hour". The injuries from outdoor accidents are more obvious and reportable, but the serious damage occuring to the minds and bodies of students cotton woolled in classrooms and homes is insidious. We must retain our national character of adventurous people, outdoors, and full of the joys of life and nature. But we are losing it.

Let's over react to this and make sure it is too hard for schools to run any sort of fieldtrip...

NZ is going to become such a nanny state. There is risk to all outdoor activities, as long a reasonable care is taken, the risks can be minimised. Experiences that take people out of their comfort are important, don't take this away.

Great here comes more cotton wool. Its sad that they have lost their lives and I really feel sorry for their families. I do know what it's like to have a person stolen away. I do know what it's like to ask why? Yes an ivestigation is necessary but all I can hope is that the days of kids outside doesn't end. We need the outdoors we need fun adventure and even danger to grow and develop into adults. Don't cover us up in cotton wool, it would be a fools error. How would we survive in the world when the education system is no longer there to protect us?

What do you mean "better late than never" obesity in our society is sky rocketing, what young people need is to experience the wonders of nature and be outdoors MORE. Don't sacrifice the amazing experiences of our future generations because of one tragedy. I do not mean in anyway to disrespect those lost in this tragedy, however we can't ban all outdoor excursions and be careful not to judge the teachers - there are very high standards already in place for field trips and the like. Outdoor education and field trips are an integral part of a kiwi education, to see that suffer further would be a huge loss.

Better late then never. Minister Chris Carter is taking action now. Only when people die does the government take action. If 100 people died from starvation in New Zealand schools. Would the government take action and review the education system.