School trip to Sylt: Children suffer from severe sunburns!

School trip to Sylt: Children suffer from severe sunburns!

The class trip of the third graders from the Rudolf Tonner School in Neumünster to Sylt, which took place from June 30th to July 4th, 2025, takes a tragic turn. After returning, several children had to be hospitalized with severe sunburns. Particularly affected was a nine-year-old girl who was badly burned and ultimately had to be taken to the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Lübeck with second-degree burns. Her condition was only noticed by her parents when she was picked up from the train, when the child had a red face and blisters under her eyes. These frightening details are reported by Moin.de.

The parents are making allegations against the teachers because they were denied medical treatment for their daughter during the school trip. A teacher allegedly said that the injury was not serious and that the child could be treated with quark at home. The Ministry of Education in Schleswig-Holstein confirmed that three children on Sylt had already visited a doctor because of sunburns, but the doctor gave the all-clear. Despite the previous information about protective measures, the girl was subsequently treated for burns in the emergency room of the Friedrich Ebert Hospital in Neumünster. There, doctors discovered that she had second-degree burns on her face and first-degree burns on her back and cleavage.

Reactions and accusations

The father of the affected girl is visibly upset that neither the school nor the education authority have inquired about his daughter's condition. Parents of other children report similar experiences where their children were pressured to take part in a hike despite their serious injuries. “The children shouldn’t act like that,” a relative quoted a teacher as saying. These incidents have led to supervisory complaints against teachers and even charges of negligent bodily harm.

While the Ministry of Education states that teachers cannot be blamed and emphasizes that the teachers paid attention to the children and also provided sunscreen, the question remains as to how such serious injuries could have happened under the teachers' care. Criticism of those involved has become particularly loud, especially in the current times, when teaching suggestions for preventing sunburns and the harmful effects of UV radiation are often discussed. At Environment in the classroom there are numerous materials that deal with the responsible use of solar radiation.

Outlook and prevention

The incident leaves a bitter aftertaste for many affected families and raises questions about how such situations can be avoided in the future. It is to be hoped that raising awareness of the correct use of sun protection as part of health education, as promoted in schools, will be better implemented in the future. Teachers and students must be aware of the risks of sunburns and take appropriate measures to protect the health of everyone involved.