WACO, Texas — A concerned parent—who wishes to remain anonymous—reached out to us via email regarding the lack of a crossing guard at G.W. Carver Middle School. Heather Healy went out to investigate.
Waco ISD's Sergeant Don Ramsey assured safety of students and staff is a top priority for the district.
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One of our Waco neighbors sent us this email asking why there is no crossing guard at G.W. Carver Middle School.
Her concern: Student safety.
“Bottom line, that’s what we want. We want them to have a safe environment to learn in,” said Sgt. Don Ramsey, the Coordinator for Emergency Planning and Safety at Waco ISD.
I went out there to check out the situation myself, and what caught my attention—cars stopping in the middle or on the side of the street to drop off kids, not following proper protocol.
“That is something we can address with parents. Have them utilize the proper channels instead of stopping in the middle of the street to let children off,” Sgt. Ramsey said.
At Waco ISD, crossing guards are usually at the elementary schools, but not at the middle or high school levels.
“We have younger students that may need assistance or guidance when going through intersections,” Sgt. Ramsey said.
But to keep these students safe from any potential traffic hazard...
“We can always do traffic assessments to see what is necessary to have a guard posted there,” Sgt. Ramsey added.
And if any parent has a concern for their child’s safety...
“Bring it to the attention of the Waco ISD Police Department, bring it to the attention of the campus so we can address that issue,” Ramsey concluded.
