Children walking on the roads

[ConcernedNana]

As a grandmother of 8 children, I'm very concerned about the kids' safety when they are forced to walk ON THE ROAD itself because the snowdrifts from the plows going through are so high they can't walk on the side. In the area where one of my grandkids walks to the bus stop, there are no sidewalks on either side and deep drainage ditches. This leaves them no alternative but to walk in the streets! I, personally, have had to stop with traffic behind me and wait until the oncoming traffic thinned out, in order to steer out and around these kids in the streets. This is so dangerous for kids, and I've seen people who don't even slow down and come close to the kids in order to stay in their lane!

My daughter has to drive her daughter to the bus stop and pick her up at the end of the day. Columbus Public Schools shows NO concern for the safety of these kids, and even more so when they won't call off school in sub-zero temperatures! No reason for that in my mind - but Dr. Harris will tell us it's due to the days they have to make up when they call off on bad weather days.. BULL! This is a very dangerous situation, both with the cold temps and with the traffic that must try to steer around the walking children.

I went to CPS when I was a kid - I remember walking anywhere from 13 blocks to almost 2 miles, between middle school and high school locations - in blizzards, below zero temps - with several layers of clothing and "leggins" and was still frostbit by the time I arrived! There is NO SENSE in that. CPS needs to change their attitudes and show more concern for our kids' safety!

Thanks for putting this board up - hope it forces CPS to rethink these safety issues! Extending school into the summer or giving the kids less days off - like Pres. Day, MLK Day, TWO DAYS of "teacher conferences" several times a year - how ridiculous! It's no wonder Columbus Schools are so far behind the rest of the country!
Concerned Nana from Columbus!

[Ellen Conley Chapman]

I 'am upset with the school system too, having children try to get to school walking in this bad weather! Why don't you (The Columbus School Board Officials) try walking in this weather or try walking to a school bus stop & waiting for a bus in this weather ! Maybe then, you would feel differently!

[ConcernedNana]

Ellen,
The challenge has been issued - Gene Harris has yet to respond, but I really didn't think she would anyway. I can hear those chickens squawking now..! She wouldn't get her expensive shoes dirty with a real walk on the wild side, like the kids have to go through every bad weather day. She's all words, no action. It really makes me angry! If one of my grandkids gets hurt or killed by a car, because they have to walk on the street to get to their stop or school - SHE will be the primary defendant in a lawsuit that will surely set a precedent in this city. I want her to step up to bat here, and [for the first time] REALLY come out on the kids' side of this.

Make up days are not a problem - parents will deal with that, I know they will. And it's true - parents need to take responsibility for their kids and have a backup plan ready in case they still have to report to work and the kids are out of school. If they were given more than an hour [or less] to know that, or <gasp> if Gene Harris would get her butt in gear and set up definite guidelines about what circumstances will cancel school for the day, parents would be able to plan ahead a little! This is downright RIDICULOUS, and it's been going on way too long - since I WAS A KID and before that! I'm 57 yrs old!

I hope this goes all the way to the top, and shakes it all down to help our kids out here. Ease parents' minds and keep our kids from missing school when Harris hasn't called it off and the weather's too dangerous for them to be out there.