Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
LOGAN — A fight is brewing in the Cache County School District over ski day. The program was dropped, but parents said they had no warning and now some are pushing to get it back.
"I would always work hard throughout my entire year because I knew ski day was coming," said 15-year-old Bridger Staley.
Bridger said kids would have to earn it by keeping up their grades for the annual field trip at one of Cache Valley's two resorts.
"And having that motivation to work that hard back then is still helping me now," he said.
"Immediately, like, everybody was yelling in the class like, 'What the heck's wrong with the superintendent?' Which, like, I don't know the superintendent, so I don't know if anything's wrong with them or not, but obviously everybody was pretty mad," said 13-year-old Bronson Staley.
They're not sure who to blame, but this family says a positive thing is being taken away.
"They need to work hard, but they need fun opportunities and incentives. Make school not just hard work and make it fun," said Sarah Staley, the parent of the children.
Recently, word started trickling out.
According to the Cache County School District, the decision came after a close review of longstanding risk-management guidelines. District leaders said there were concerns about the time commitment, low participation with some schools already dropping the program, and liability.
"But if it's really a safety issue," parent Jason Staley said. "My question is, is like, 'Yeah, we still allow certain sports to be played at the high school level, right?'"
A lot of people have the same concerns. An online petition is now circulating with more than 2,000 signatures, but district representatives say the decision is final.
"I was pretty bummed out about it," Bronson said.
The Staleys also pointed out that ski day was big for a lot of kids who wouldn't otherwise get out with their families.
The school district said it fully supports the ski industry but also sees better ways to use that educational time. It said overall participation for the field trip was approximately 30%.
