Why I'm Speaking Out

My daughter attended preschool at Warren H. Wolf Elementary, and every single day, she was exposed to the adult store sitting right across the street. I was uncomfortable with it from the start, but I tried to ignore it and focus on getting her to school safely. Now, years later, my son attends the same preschool- and the store is still there. At parent pickup I hear other parents, speaking of this store, wishing it wasn't there but doing nothing about it. I'm here to do something about it.

Recently, my daughter-who's old enough to read now-looked out the car window and asked me what kind of store that was and why there were such "gross" and "weird" things in the window. That moment hit me hard. I realized just how much damage this kind of exposure can do to a child's mind. Kids today are curious, observant, and asking questions. They're trying to make sense of the world-and we're forcing them to process adult content on their way to school.

It's not just preschoolers. High school students walk past that store every day. Families like mine pass it every time we go to the Brick Library or the Rec Center. We've driven past it five days a week, all year long. And every day it's there, it chips away at the innocence of childhood and the moral fabric of our town.

This business has no place near schools, youth centers, or libraries. Enough is enough. It's time for a change.