I read with much dismay the letter headlined “Cortez should apologize for its kids” (Journal, April 29.) I was one of the 15 sponsors on our annual trip to Colorado State University, and I assure you that Cortez can be very proud of its students.

During our visit to Cabela’s the bus driver told us that a woman came to the bus to ask where we were from. When the driver responded, she then launched into a tirade about the students’ poor behavior.

The driver offered to let her speak to the sponsors, but she declined, saying she would rather write to our local newspaper.

The reality is that the students shopped, made purchases, took selfies at the fish tank, and when we sponsors could sense that shopping was over and the energy level was rising, we gathered our students and left. This one curmudgeon would rather publicly humiliate the students, parents, and teachers of an entire community rather than talk directly to sponsors about a named behavior. Her words jeopardize a valuable program.

The exuberance and excitement of young people away from home for the first time should not be mistaken for horrible behavior.

The only way to teach our students how to behave in the wide world is to allow them to experience it. We have taught our students that it is wrong to trash talk from a keyboard rather than problem solve face-to-face. It’s called cyberbullying.

When kids are in the wrong, we name it, own it, and teach them to fix it. But when our kids are wronged, we will always stand up for them.

Jennifer Bullock, 8th grade teacher/sponsor

Cortez Middle School

Cortez