Cache Placement Question?

[+The Herd]

Just curious, are there rules as to how far a cache must be from school grounds when placed??? I know I could look it up, but this just may be faster. (and I am tired)

[+Criminal]

Just curious, are there rules as to how far a cache must be from school grounds when placed??? I know I could look it up, but this just may be faster. (and I am tired)

 

Common sense.

[+The Herd]

Just curious, are there rules as to how far a cache must be from school grounds when placed??? I know I could look it up, but this just may be faster. (and I am tired)

 

Common sense.

 

Unfortunatly, not all cachers have it though. We found one that was awful darn close, and I don't know if we should post a SBA on it.

[+Criminal]

Just curious, are there rules as to how far a cache must be from school grounds when placed??? I know I could look it up, but this just may be faster. (and I am tired)

 

Common sense.

 

Unfortunatly, not all cachers have it though. We found one that was awful darn close, and I don't know if we should post a SBA on it.

PLEASE contact the owner first. Give them the opportunity to correct it. SBAs have a negative connotation.

[bogleman]

Depends on what is around the school. Is it a city school or a rural school? I would go with the 528+ rule around the property.

[+Team Neos]

And don't forget that some caches are placed by classes of the school, or by teachers or others who have obtained full permission. I would contact the cache owner first.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Team Neos

[Keystone]

See the recent threads asking about how close is too close to an airport, and how close is too close to a military base. Some of the same reasoning applies. For example, can the geocacher be seen at ground zero by someone observing them from the school property? 400 feet across an open field would then be too close. But 400 feet away in an urban environment, separated by a street intersection and several buildings, could be very different.

[+The Herd]

I have intentions of contacting the owner before posting an SBA, just wanted to know if there was a rule or guideline in place before I contacted them. I do know that it is not placed by a school group, classroom, etc... and it is a city school. Just wanted to know before I contacted the owner.

[Keystone]

Well, also bear in mind that schools were added to the list of off-limits locations in the February 2005 update to the listing guidelines. There were lots of school caches placed prior to that, and they are grandfathered unless some specific problem exists.

[+geofindr]

Well, also bear in mind that schools were added to the list of off-limits locations in the February 2005 update to the listing guidelines. There were lots of school caches placed prior to that, and they are grandfathered unless some specific problem exists.

 

I have an interesting question regarding this. I was going to place a cache that is technically on ground owned by the local school district, but approximately 300 yards from the school itself and 100 yards across a creek from a fenced ball field. Would that cache be off limits? The ground in question is a small parcel of land that is down a steep hill from private homes.

 

Not knowing this off limits rule, I asked the school principle if I could place the cache. She said that her concern was that someone might lurk in the forest looking to pick up kids and then use the excuse that they were just there looking for a cache. I suppose that could happen, but the possibility is pretty remote. She was concerned that the cache location would be posted on the internet and a child predator would see it as a great way to get near the kids and look legit. (I suppose they could park across the street from the school, too)

 

I could move the cache to an area 10 feet from a path that the kids all use to go from a housing area to the school because it is part of a homeowners association that I could get permission to place a cache. Even though it is not on school property, it is right next to the trail all the elementary school kids walk on. To me that would be more of a security risk.

 

I may just have to look elsewhere to place my first cache. I just really like the site because it is pretty close to my house and I can keep tabs on it.

 

I would be interested in any of your thoughts on this.

 

Geofindr.

[+The Herd]

Well, I will try to describe the location...as best I can. It is in a city, though a very small city. There is the high school, then the football field, a little 2 lane road. The cache is about 15 feet on the other side of the road.

[+Team Neos]

I have an interesting question regarding this. I was going to place a cache that is technically on ground owned by the local school district, but approximately 300 yards from the school itself and 100 yards across a creek from a fenced ball field. Would that cache be off limits? The ground in question is a small parcel of land that is down a steep hill from private homes.

 

Not knowing this off limits rule, I asked the school principle if I could place the cache. She said that her concern was that someone might lurk in the forest looking to pick up kids and then use the excuse that they were just there looking for a cache.

 

(lots of deleted words)

I would be interested in any of your thoughts on this.

 

Geofindr.

 

Since the principal has already expressed concern about the placement, I would absolutely not place a cache in that location...even if it were not on school grounds. Why add additional concerns for the school officials, or risk giving geocaching the reputation of caring more about caches than kids?

[+geofindr]

I have an interesting question regarding this. I was going to place a cache that is technically on ground owned by the local school district, but approximately 300 yards from the school itself and 100 yards across a creek from a fenced ball field. Would that cache be off limits? The ground in question is a small parcel of land that is down a steep hill from private homes.

 

Not knowing this off limits rule, I asked the school principle if I could place the cache. She said that her concern was that someone might lurk in the forest looking to pick up kids and then use the excuse that they were just there looking for a cache.

 

(lots of deleted words)

I would be interested in any of your thoughts on this.

 

Geofindr.

 

Since the principal has already expressed concern about the placement, I would absolutely not place a cache in that location...even if it were not on school grounds. Why add additional concerns for the school officials, or risk giving geocaching the reputation of caring more about caches than kids?

 

I did not do a very good job of communicating. When the Principal told me of her concerns, I told her that I understood her concern. We talked a bit more about it and she said she would talk to some other principals about it and get back to me. If she says "No", then I honor that. There are plenty of public forest lands in Western Oregon close by that will work. I am a caregiver for my wife and it would have made it easier to administer a cache close to my house, but that is not a requirement.

 

I would never do anything to give geocaching a bad reputation. Geocaching has given my wife, who is a paraplegic with Multiple Sclerosis, a chance to get out and find some virtual and handicapped accessible caches to find that have given her more joy than anything has in a long time. I am very indebted to those who have made this activity such a marvelous thing to do!

[Team Misguided]

Not knowing this off limits rule, I asked the school principle if I could place the cache. She said that her concern was that someone might lurk in the forest looking to pick up kids and then use the excuse that they were just there looking for a cache. I suppose that could happen, but the possibility is pretty remote. She was concerned that the cache location would be posted on the internet and a child predator would see it as a great way to get near the kids and look legit. (I suppose they could park across the street from the school, too)

 

I would be interested in any of your thoughts on this.

 

Geofindr.

 

It's not as far fetched as you might think, just last year there was a high profile kidnapping/murder case in which the main suspect had found a few geocaches.

 

If you are even asking if it's too close for comfort and the principal has expressed concern then it is too close.

[+emb021]

I do know that it is not placed by a school group, classroom, etc... and it is a city school. Just wanted to know before I contacted the owner.

 

If it was placed by a school group/classroom, etc, I would hope this would be noted in the cache info. At least in this area, I am aware of 2-3 such caches because they clearly stated this in the discription.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

We recently ran into a similar problem. We were attempting to place a cache in a narrow strip of wooded land between the school playground and the city park. After conferring with the reviewer who expressed concern over placement we contacted the principal directly. Although fascinated with the idea of geocaching (expressed possibility of trying it out) said the safety concern left doubts. We've since decided to drop the cache completely. It's just not worth the chance of bad PR or endangering students. There are too many other good spots to place to worry over this one.