On May 15th, 2024, a Lakota East Freshman student was crossing the street just after school let out. The student was in the crosswalk with the lights activated when an individual who was distracted struck him at a speed not indicative of the school zone limit of 20mph. This tragic incident resulted in catastrophic, life-ending injuries for the student. Sadly, this is not an isolated event; similar incidents occurred in the same district in 2018 and 2019.

The state of Ohio has actively cut funding for schools throughout the state, as a result the schools have cut back on bussing for students. These schools are located on streets that during normal hours operate with speed limits of 40mph - 55mph, in a world full of distractions this presents many issues for students arriving and departing school.

We need to implement more stringent safety measures to protect our students as they cross streets within school zones during designated hours. Enhanced signage: perhaps signs that are yellow lights on yellow painted steel that is hard to notice on a sunny day. Increased enforcement of speed limits; law enforcement being present with their red and blue lights activated, speed cameras with signs telling you how fast you are driving. Pedestrian bridges with 20-foot safety fences (similar to the bridges they have in large cities). Speed bumps placed at the beginning of the school zone(s) in both directions (maybe kind that can be placed and removed daily so not to disrupt normal driving hours).

Please sign this petition to urge local authorities to take immediate action and ensure our children’s safety on their way to and from school.