Chaperone Responsibilities

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - If you are chaperoning one of your kids' functions, what are your responsibilities and what are your legal risks?

Two Colorado mothers chaperoning their kids' prom were arrested for harassment after they became so offended by the grinding on the dance floor that they called the prom goers awful names and then sprayed them with Lysol.

Now's a good time to remind your kids how lucky they are that you're not that kind of embarrassing.

And, while those mothers went way, WAAAAAY too far, if you volunteer to be a chaperone, you do have some legal obligations.

First, it's your duty to keep kids safe, and there have been cases filed against chaperones for negligent supervision. So don't doze off. Be aware of hazards like blocked fire exists, kids wandering off into unsupervised areas, and consider standing near the food and drinks to make sure no one adulterates the punch.

In addition to what your responsibilities are, though, it's important to remember what your responsibilities aren't. If you see kids fighting, or have reason to believe that they are intoxicated or behaving unsafely, do not take matters into your own hands but instead report what you see to designated authorities. You're not the police and you are most certainly not the Lysol patrol.