CPS slashes crossing guard program, raising safety concerns before school year
CPS slashes crossing guard program, raising safety concerns before school year
Chicago schoolchildren will see significantly fewer crossing guards on their way to class this fall, prompting concerns from some City Council members who warn the cuts could endanger student safety.
CHICAGO - Chicago schoolchildren will see significantly fewer crossing guards on their way to class this fall, prompting concerns from some City Council members who warn the cuts could endanger student safety.
What we know:
One such intersection — 107th Street and Pulaski Road in the Beverly neighborhood — will no longer be staffed by a crossing guard, despite being considered hazardous.
Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) said Chicago Public Schools made sweeping cuts to the program without consulting local leaders. He said 33 intersections across the city lost their guards, including 11 in his ward.
"CPS did not reach out to any school leaders in my community, any stakeholders in my community, any elected officials. They just made this decision; no transparency, no communication. This is absolutely crazy," O'Shea said.
The move comes as CPS faces a $734 million budget shortfall. However, O’Shea argued that budget savings should not come at the expense of children's safety.
"Let's talk about some of the programs that we fund that we don't see real results. Let's talk about people sitting in desks, in network offices, and look at those cuts. Not the safety and security of safety as they go to and from school," O'Shea said.
Historically, funding for crossing guards came from the Chicago Police Department. Oversight later shifted to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications before being transferred to CPS in recent years.
O’Shea called on the City Council and Mayor Brandon Johnson to intervene.
"Mayor Johnson has to step in and say ‘whoa, this was a mistake by CPS.’ We're reinstating these positions. In a few short weeks, these crossing guards will be at their posts safely getting children to and from school," O'Shea said.