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International travel moratorium a disservice to students

How very sad to see the Nanaimo school board succumb to the very fear that terrorists use to advance their agenda.

To the Editor,

Re: Two-year moratorium placed on students’ international travel, Sept. 6.

How very sad to see the Nanaimo school board succumb to the very fear that terrorists use to advance their agenda.

The students are the losers. They would benefit far more from observing and learning from the history and culture of other countries than by staying at home cossetted in a cocoon of isolationism. Such travel serves to widen their horizons and see how others live.

Yes, there are risks associated with travel anywhere in the world, but one can rest assured that the security forces in Europe are just as concerned about the safety of visitors as they are for that of their fellow citizens. Distressing as it may be, one can be reasonably confident that there will be other incidents similar to that which took place in Nice over the next couple of years so is the school board expecting to extend its moratorium each time such an event occurs?

Are our students to be wrapped in cotton wool and sheltered from all world events? If so, that would be a major hindrance to their education.

Trevor D. CradduckNanaimo