Rumors of cancellation of TPMS Florida trip are false

Rumors of Takoma Park Middle School's (TPMS) annual trip to Florida being cancelled are not accurate, according to TPMS Principal Jean Haven.

The trip, which many Blair students attended as eighth graders and chaperone in their junior and senior years, was recently brought to the forefront of the news when a Washington Post article by columnist Marc Fisher printed Sunday, March 13, attacked the trip for failing to be equitable to all students.

Even though the trip is not cancelled, the TPMS administration is looking into making changes to make it more fair. "Details of the trip are being reviewed because some parents voiced concerns," according to Haven. "There may be a meeting at which time parents and students will be able to voice their opinions."

Haven said that she supports the trip and has tried to make it more open to all students in her tenure at TPMS. "[I've] always been a proponent of the trip. I've been here two years, and we've tried to extend it to all students," stated Haven. Before Haven started at TPMS, the trip was only open to students with one or more gifted-and-talented classes, something that Haven worked to change. The trip is now open to anyone with a GPA at or above 3.0, although who actually goes is chosen by lottery. "We've tried to open it up to more kids. I've been on the trip, and I think it's a great memory that many students carry with them for a long time," Haven stated.