Safety First, Equity Second

While I have not been made aware of changes this year to the terrible traffic situation at East High School I’m gratified to learn that there has been a significant improvement in today’s front page story.

The improvement is a relatively easy solution. An adult traffic crossing guard has been hired to control pedestrians and cars at the dangerous 40th Ave East location. Even the kids recognize how awful the safety issues were because they are giving the crossing guard very little grief as he protects them like other guards protect elementary school children.

There is mention of a $200,000 fix to the drives at East. I presume this will be on the District’s credit card. Again, I’m only a school board member. I am the last person to find out about these issues. Nonetheless, I’m pleased that things have improved.

Now if we could just figure out how to tempt some of the 800 extra Duluth East kids to Denfeld to even up the school populations we’d have an even bigger improvement in safety. I like Alanna Oswald’s suggestion. She wonders if we couldn’t scratch up enough revenue to have a “pilot” Seven Period day out west. I think we could.

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