Student Safety Should Never Be an Afterthought

Every parent knows the feeling.

You watch your child cross the street on the way to school, and for a brief moment, you trust that everything in place is there to keep them safe. Crosswalks. Speed limits. School zones. And perhaps most importantly, the dedicated crossing guards who stand in traffic every morning and afternoon to make sure our children get to and from school safely.

Now imagine learning that our district is losing 13 crossing guards.

Budget shortages are no reason to put our kids in danger before they even make it to school.

Crossing guards aren't just there to hold a stop sign. They create order during chaotic drop-off and pick-up times. They help young children who may not always make safe decisions. They remind distracted drivers that children are present. Most importantly, they provide an extra layer of protection that can prevent a tragedy.

It only takes one distracted driver.

It only takes one child who darts into the street.

It only takes one moment for a family's life to change forever.

This issue is personal to me.

For six years, I worked with the principles, transportation, an assistant superintendent, and a

school board member to address traffic safety concerns affecting students. I too have dealt with right turn only sign that only lead to drivers having to do U-turns and traffic back ups. What should have been a straightforward safety issue took six years to resolve. Six years of emails, meetings, conversations, and pushing for action before something that affected children's safety was finally addressed.

That experience taught me an important lesson: when it comes to student safety, delays have consequences. We shouldn't have to fight for years to make our schools safer, and we certainly shouldn't be reducing the number of people whose job is to protect children as they arrive at and leave school each day.

Our own community has already shown how much it values crossing guards. The Town of Indian Trail honored former Sun Valley Middle School crossing guard Jerome Sutton with the Key to the City and even named a street in his honor after his courageous actions protecting students. The town recognized what so many parents already know: crossing guards are not just directing traffic, they are protecting lives.

So if our town understands the value of crossing guards, why doesn't our Board of Education?

I understand that budgets are difficult. Every dollar has to be accounted for, and school leaders are often forced to make hard choices.

But not every budget cut carries the same level of risk.

When a decision directly affects student safety, it deserves a higher level of scrutiny. Parents deserve to know why these positions are being eliminated, what alternatives are being put in place, and how the district plans to ensure students remain safe without them.

Simply hoping traffic cooperates isn't a safety plan.

As someone running for the Board of Education, I believe protecting students must always come before politics, bureaucracy, or budget convenience. If a decision increases the risk to children, we should exhaust every possible alternative before accepting it.

The Town of Indian Trail has demonstrated the value it places on those who protect our children. I believe our Board of Education should demonstrate that same commitment.

Every budget reflects our priorities.

If we can afford to lose 13 crossing guards, what message are we sending about the importance of student safety?

Our children deserve to arrive at school safely every morning and return home safely every afternoon. That isn't a luxury or an optional service. It is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of a school system.

I believe we can do better. And as a member of the Board of Education, I will make sure student safety is never treated as an afterthought.