Dianne, if your taxes are supporting the school, why don't you check
with them to see *why* they thought this was an appropriate field trip?
Perhaps a corporate partner-in-education funded the trip as a reward
for improved test scores or some other academic achievement. They
could also be learning about diversity since a pro football team usually
has a broad cross-section of races/ethnicities and religions. OK, no
great gender diversity...

Personally, I think students should be taken out and taught the ugly
side to sports and entertainment careers. They really need to talk to
the men and women who were so talented they were supposed to set the
world on fire and then they fizzled immediately, had a career-ending
injury, public opinion changed and someone else was hotter, they
couldn't take the stress, drugs, booze, relationships (euphemism here),
etc. Maybe a fallen idol can get through to them that the achievement
of an education is something no one can take away from them. Since
schools are patting students on the back and saying whatever they do is
just fine, someone has to shoot them down with the truth--either about
how great they aren't or how hard it is to make it even if you are good
and you better have a net below you when you fall. Simon Cowell can't
be there for everyone.

Another possible plus would be if such a trip got students more
interested in physical activity (in a healthy, non-steroidal way). This
is also the only way some children will ever get to see such a place
since their parents can't afford to take them or don't consider sports
events something to attend. I'm sure some of them were wide-eyed
because they have never seen the inside of such a big place and can't
imagine that so many people would be there at once. A football game is
a cultural event just as much as a ballet or a rock concert. I bet the
students from well-to-do fan families (who regularly attend games) had a
different perspective.

--
Brenda Lewis
WIP: "Pink Baby" photo frame, Candamar