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Ednay-May MacKenzie and her daughter Typhani-Rose cross the road with their dog. (DAVE SIDAWAY/The Gazette)
Parents and principal at crossroads on safety
Children in harm's way, residents say
MAX HARROLD
The Gazette
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Ednay-May MacKenzie and her daughter Typhani-Rose cross the road with their dog. (DAVE SIDAWAY/The Gazette)
The parents just want their children safe, but school officials say some adults are putting youngsters at risk during the commotion of dropping off or picking up their children at École Philippe Morin in Lachine.
"They're accusing us of being loiterers, and all we're doing is watching out for our kids," said Edna-May MacKenzie, whose 7-year-old daughter, Typhani-Rose, is in Grade 1 at the French elementary school on Provost St. between 18 and 19th Aves.
MacKenzie, a Lachine activist who has campaigned for fewer restrictions on dog-walking and a lower speed limit for city vehicles inside parks in the borough, now has her sights on road safety outside the school, where 271 students attend classes.
The finger-pointing over safety has increased since September, when a student was nearly hit by a teacher's car backing out of the staff parking lot, and another incident in which a small dog was killed when its owner, a student's mother, tripped and fell on it on the crowded sidewalk.
The school principal sent a letter to parents Sept. 20, warning them not to wait for their children in the staff parking lot. A sign has been posted asking parents to wait for their children across the street.
"Clearly, there's a safety problem there," said Chantal Garreau, 42, another parent of a first-grader.
Having a parking area for staff next to the school's playground means children often must walk on the street in order to avoid cars backing out of the lot, she said.
And a crosswalk on 19th Ave. - meant for students to safely access the school's playground across the street from the school - is often unsupervised, she added, or left in the hands of playful fourth-graders who sometimes serve as crossing guards.
"The worst thing is when school is over (at 3 p.m.)," Garreau said. "I'm there to pick up my daughter and I can see there are no teachers watching the kids.
"I mean, come on, my daughter is 6 years old and Provost is a busy street. Sometimes, parents are late. (The school) has a responsibility not to let my child wander off."
Brigitte Gauvreau, a spokesperson for the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys, which includes Philippe Morin, said children are their parents' responsibility once school is out.
"That's when parents take over," she said.
As for children walking to and from the school, "They should follow the safe paths laid out for them. There are (adult) crossing guards at 18th Ave. and Provost and at 18th and St. Antoine St."
The children acting as crossing guards are part of a program at lunch and recess, and they are always supposed to be supervised by teachers, Gauvreau added.
Joanne Poxon, a parent of a third-grader, said the school should simply move the parking lot to the other side of the block. Cars could then enter and exit on 20th Ave. and avoid contact with children, she said.
Parent Hélène Poirier, president of the school's governing board, said the board might yet decide to move the parking lot.
It would come at a hefty price; $65,000 was the school commission's estimate last fall.
"We're talking to the borough about this" and other safety issues, Poirier said.
Speed bumps and faster clearing of snow on 19th Ave. would also improve safety, she said.
"It takes three days after a storm to clear that street."
The governing board, which includes five parents and five school staff, meets again March 17.