Penn Hills School District Cutting Crossing Guards
PENN HILLS (KDKA) -- According to the Penn Hills police chief, a seven-year-old was not seriously injured when she was hit last Friday afternoon. The girl had just stepped off the bus, near Universal and Keefer Roads.
"The preliminary investigation shows that the bus stopped, other children got off and crossed safely and for whatever reason, this young lady held behind," said Howard Burton, the chief of the Penn Hills Police Department.
Police say the child was hit by a truck that was behind the bus. It happened at a location where, until this school year, there had been a school crossing guard. KDKA asked the chief if having a crossing guard at that location, would have prevented the accident.
"It's hard to say," commented Chief Burton. "I'm not sure if the guard would have had any bearing on that or not...or if the guard would have possibly told the child to wait a minute...something of that nature. "
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At the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, the Penn Hills school board voted to reduce the number of school crossing guards from 71 to 25. That's 46 fewer guards.
"Children don't always... they don't have adult heads, they run , they dart, they jump," said Penn Hills school crossing guard Pat Nieser. She's been a crossing guard for 20 years and believe guards are necessary.
"We let them know, the drivers know, that there's kids around. If we're not here, they don't pay any attention," said Nieser
Marlynn Love, a Penn Hills parent added, "The safety of the students come first, no matter what."
Parent Tyrone Gore agrees. He said, "Why would you cut 46 crossing guards when our streets are dangerous anyway?"
Police say they don't expect charges to be filed against the driver. They are interviewing witnesses.
KDKA's call to the Penn Hill School District Superintendent have not been returned.