[StBernard] School Zones

[Westley Annis]

Hi yall, this may be a completely off the wall (stupid) question about the
problem of speeders through school zones:  Is there such a thing as
temporary, removable speed bumps?  I don't know how else to slow down people
so stupid as to not notice children trying to cross streets at school time.
I would think it would be obvious in any language that you shouldn't run
over them, but hey, that's what I get for thinking.  Here where I live,
school crossing guards are a volunteer effort.  Plus, local police are
vigilant about enforcement.  With the shortage of available police in da
Parish, maybe volunteers with mega-phones hollering, "School Zone-Slow
down!" would help?  Anybody know how to say that in Spanish?

Penny
-----------------------------------------------------
JDR



I would like to ask you one more question, or should I say, raise one more 

point and see if maybe you may know the answer to this or be able to help.  

You are obviously very passionate and close to this sheriif situation also.


Every time I have been around the parish schools, mostly in the afternoon 

when school lets out, I have never been around in the morning, there are 

never any crossing guards around the schools.  At Chalmette High, there used


to be two crossing guards before the hurricane.  One on Judge Perez and 

Veronica St. and one on Judge Perez and Palmisano.  Now there are none.  I 

see people speeding in these zones when school lets out.  A lot of them are 

pick up trucks that I assume are construction people.  Some are just cars.  

They disregard the speed limit and the fact that they are in a school.  

Kids are running across the street every which way and crossing where they 

should not. By that I mean not by the corners.  They are taking their 

chances and running across when the think they can make it.  One of them 

will get killed one day or severly injured.  I was there one day when a 

young girl was almost hit by a car.  Her mother was there and we complained 

together about this problem.  She called the sheriff directly after several 

days of calling the police and getting no response.  After she called the 

sheriff, he sent a deputy over but this deputy does not cross the kids or 

stop the speeders.  He just stands off to the side watching. His police car 

is there so maybe he thinks he is a deterent, but nothing has changed.  He 

is doing no good being there.  Is it in the sheriff's power to put a 

crossing guard there, or is that some sort of volunteer position that no one


is willing to do right now?  I think it is a problem, people may not think 

so or that this is a low risk situation, unless your child is the one that 

gets hurt. And it will happen eventually if this situation continues.  Also,


I do feel unsafe on the streets of St. Bernard.  There is no one around in 

the deserted neighborhoods except the contruction workers that I do not know


and many of them speaking a language I do not understand so that is very 

un-nerving when you are a female and there is a group of foreign men 

speaking and looking at you and you do not understand what they are saying.


I try to keep myself out of this situation, but whenever I am in Home Depot 

or anyplace else I have to be careful no one follows me home.  In my 

neighborhood it is the same thing.  They approach you asking if you need 

work done.  I know we need these workers and most are good, I have several 

that do work for me and I have come to know and trust them, but how are you 

to know?  You can't know so you have to be constantly on guard and can never


relax.  I think it would help if I would see some patrol on the streets, 

even a fast drive by, but I never, never see that.  I know half the police 

force is gone.  I know many of them myself that have left.  I know you can't


imagine what it feels like to be a female and vulnerable because you are the


weaker sex.  The other day I was in Home Depot with my mother and she said, 

did you see those mexicans checking you out?  I said no, but I did.  I was 

just careful when we left the store.  I have two young daughters in late 

teens and early twenties so I can imagine what is going on in their heads if


they are checking out their mother. I worry. Do you know if the sheriff puts


every available man on the street?  Maybe they need to be spread out over 

all these places and divisions that you mention, but in my situation street 

patrol and visible presence is the most important thing that pertains to me 

and my family and I have not seen that.  I don't mean to keep this dialog 

going on and on, but you seem to be knowledgeable in this area.  I would 

appreciate your insight.



Laurie