The City Council has debated trimming the crossing guard jobs from the Greensboro Police Department’s budget since 2010.
The city pays for the service even though most of the 21 crossing guards help children get to county-run schools.
Cutting eight crossing guard jobs will save the city $69,000.
The proposed budget suggests eliminating guards at the following schools:
Claxton Elementary
*Guilford Middle
*Jackson Middle
*Peck Elementary
*Pilot Elementary
*Sternberger Elementary
*Washington Montessori
The city manager also proposed eliminating the guard near the Industries for the Blind on West Lee Street.
The county school system, which has budget troubles of its own, isn’t prepared to pick up the tab. School officials have said helping children cross streets is a public safety responsibility.
“We believe that school crossing guards play a vital and important role in helping our students get to school safely,” said Nora Carr,cq the county schools’ chief of staff.
“We are saddened this is being cut from city of Greensboro’s budget, especially when (the district) is already facing so many other cuts in other areas.”
City staff members studied each intersection to decide which guard jobs to cut. They took into account how many people use the service, whether there is a traffic signal or stop sign in the area and the amount of traffic on the street.
Contact Amanda Lehmert at (336) 373-7075, and follow @alehmert on Twitter
I have requested a formal meeting with the City Council members who proposed these specific budget cuts. My focus is on presenting the traffic data for the Claxton intersection to challenge the city's assessment criteria. Expect a report on their availability by the end of the week.
May 29, 2013
The scale of this response is granting us the necessary leverage for upcoming meetings with the City Council. I am presently drafting a formal request to include this specific data in the next budget hearing record. Expect an update once the council clerk confirms our placement on the agenda.
Reached 100 supporters
May 29, 2013
6 Comments
J
Jessica Nichols
13 years ago
Featured
ridiculous. have you seen the traffic on that road in the morning? kids are gonna get hit. stop being cheap with our lives
T
Tammy Nichols
13 years ago
Featured
UNACCEPTABLE. those guards are the only thing stopping people from speeding through the school zone. think about the parents who have to work and cant walk their kids!
S
Sarah Ortega
13 years ago
Featured
My kids walk to school every single day. $69,000 is nothing compared to the safety of our children. Do not do this.
D
David Ryan
13 years ago
Featured
Keep the guards. It is not worth the risk.
M
Mike Sharma
13 years ago
Featured
Greensboro has enough money for fancy projects but not for keeping kids safe. Get your priorities straight.
R
Robert Ross
13 years ago
Featured
Save money somewhere else. Public safety should be the last thing on the chopping block.
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The City Council has debated trimming the crossing guard jobs from the Greensboro Police Department’s budget since 2010.
The city pays for the service even though most of the 21 crossing guards help children get to county-run schools.
Cutting eight crossing guard jobs will save the city $69,000.
The proposed budget suggests eliminating guards at the following schools:
Claxton Elementary
*Guilford Middle
*Jackson Middle
*Peck Elementary
*Pilot Elementary
*Sternberger Elementary
*Washington Montessori
The city manager also proposed eliminating the guard near the Industries for the Blind on West Lee Street.
The county school system, which has budget troubles of its own, isn’t prepared to pick up the tab. School officials have said helping children cross streets is a public safety responsibility.
“We believe that school crossing guards play a vital and important role in helping our students get to school safely,” said Nora Carr,cq the county schools’ chief of staff.
“We are saddened this is being cut from city of Greensboro’s budget, especially when (the district) is already facing so many other cuts in other areas.”
City staff members studied each intersection to decide which guard jobs to cut. They took into account how many people use the service, whether there is a traffic signal or stop sign in the area and the amount of traffic on the street.
Contact Amanda Lehmert at (336) 373-7075, and follow @alehmert on Twitter
I have requested a formal meeting with the City Council members who proposed these specific budget cuts. My focus is on presenting the traffic data for the Claxton intersection to challenge the city's assessment criteria. Expect a report on their availability by the end of the week.
May 29, 2013
The scale of this response is granting us the necessary leverage for upcoming meetings with the City Council. I am presently drafting a formal request to include this specific data in the next budget hearing record. Expect an update once the council clerk confirms our placement on the agenda.
Reached 100 supporters
May 29, 2013
6 Comments
J
Jessica Nichols
13 years ago
Featured
ridiculous. have you seen the traffic on that road in the morning? kids are gonna get hit. stop being cheap with our lives
T
Tammy Nichols
13 years ago
Featured
UNACCEPTABLE. those guards are the only thing stopping people from speeding through the school zone. think about the parents who have to work and cant walk their kids!
S
Sarah Ortega
13 years ago
Featured
My kids walk to school every single day. $69,000 is nothing compared to the safety of our children. Do not do this.
D
David Ryan
13 years ago
Featured
Keep the guards. It is not worth the risk.
M
Mike Sharma
13 years ago
Featured
Greensboro has enough money for fancy projects but not for keeping kids safe. Get your priorities straight.
R
Robert Ross
13 years ago
Featured
Save money somewhere else. Public safety should be the last thing on the chopping block.
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach
250 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
or sign with Email
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
ridiculous. have you seen the traffic on that road in the morning? kids are gonna get hit. stop being cheap with our lives