Editor:

This morning as I was leaving Bristow Middle school after dropping off my son, I saw a young man, crossing Minnesota Avenue in the crosswalk with the lights flashing, almost get hit by a motorist who was not paying attention and going much faster than the 25 mph speed limit in a school zone. The driver had to swerve to miss this young man and didn’t even stop; just kept on going.

I called the BUSD office to speak to the superintendent; however, he was unavailable. The person I spoke to asked how she could help and I explained the situation to her. I told her that we need crossing guards at these two crosswalks on Minnesota and that the flashing lights do not work.

She assured me that the district worked with the Brentwood Police Department to determine at which intersections crossing guards should be placed. She also told me something to the effect of: that while a child’s safety is important, there isn’t financial means to place crossing guards at these two crosswalks on Minnesota Avenue.

I still can’t believe I heard that! The amount of commuter traffic on Minnesota Avenue alone should warrant crossing guards. It isn’t as if Bristow is nestled in a neighborhood; the main entrance is on a very busy thoroughfare. While there are a number of stoplights on Minnesota Avenue, obviously it doesn’t take much to get up to 25 even 35 mph from Central Avenue to the front of the school. Our community must become more aware of how dangerous Minnesota Avenue is every school day morning.

In closing, I would like to say: God help the BUSD, the City of Brentwood and/or its agencies if it is one of my children that gets hit or almost hit in either of these two crosswalks because it has been determined that the need for crossing guards in front of Bristow Middle School is not pertinent.

Terese Belme, Brentwood