Campus Drivers Endanger Pedestrian Safety
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The Postscript The Park School of Baltimore | PO Box 8200 Brooklandville, MD 21022 | INovember 25, 2008 Volume LXIX Issue No. 3 Campus drivers endanger pedestrian safety Recent near-miss is not fi rst incident of cell phone distraction by Alec Ring ‘11 ready in effect at the school, “I want to make sure people are The carpool line is a hazard- aware of their surroundings. ous place. On November 12, I want to do whatever it takes two incidents endangering pe- for the safety of our kids.” destrians prompted Bob Peck, Peck has considered many Director of Security and Safety, solutions, including stagger- to issue warnings via e-mail ing dismissal times and using to all employees and parents. signs to make the carpool line Lyn Meyerhoff ‘09 was hit safer. “There are countless times by a car while walking through I’ve seen parents hit the curb the parking lot after the Partners’ while talking on the cell phone.” Thanksgiving Dinner. “She [the According to Sharpe, such parent driver] must have come near-misses are not new. Nel- around the turn too wide at the son Barnes, another member of end of the carpool line, and she the facilities staff, said he was hit me in the side,” said Mey- nearly hit as well. Now, Barnes erhoff. “Luckily, I was wearing is a firm believer against us- my backpack and that absorbed ing cell phones while driving. most of the blow. She didn’t even “If you’re on the phone with stop. A few minutes later, at my somebody driving, just tell them car, she walked up to me and to call you back. When you’re told me that she hadn’t seen me.” photo by S. Shuldiner ‘09 driving you’re busy and you’re Earlier that same day, Facili- Staff member Rose Sharpe was guarding the Arts Center crosswalk Nov. 12 when a driver on a cell going to hit something,” he said. ties staff member, Rose Sharpe phone almost sideswiped her. The walk, shown at carpool, crosses a curb line and through lane. “What if there had been a was nearly hit by a parent who that he drove right by.” Luckily received many complaints about fi nal lines of the e-mail read, “For little kid?” asked Meyerhoff. was on a cell phone. According Sharpe was near the side of the employees “driving too fast on the safety of our families, faculty, “That would be even harder to Sharpe, the car was driving crosswalk, barely out of harm’s the back driveway and over speed and staff, please do not use your to see.” Sharpe also had some down the line, and at the large way. “Some parents are always bumps.” In his e-mail to parents, cell phone when you are driv- closing thoughts about her near speed bump near the Arts Cen- on the phone and they just keep he referred to Sharpe’s near-miss ing on the Park School campus, collision. “The driving [with cell ter entrance, he drove right by, talking and talking,” she said. and specifi cally condemned the and reconsider cell phone use phones] is never going to stop almost sideswiping her. “I was After Meyerhoff alerted Peck use of cell phones while driving in your car at all other times.” until a child gets hit.” She also helping a little boy cross when of her incident, he sent the e- on campus, supplying a link to After these recent incidents, offered some advice to all Park I raised my hand to the driver; mails. In a message to faculty a website providing facts about Peck has tried to significantly community members: “Stay off he was so focused on his phone and staff, he noted that he had driving with a cell phone. The reinforce safety measures al- the phone in the carpool line!” Assembly celebrates new era in America’s history by Mariama Eversley ‘10 emer and Dean of Students Traci bloody pulp,” recalled Roemer. Wright presented their views on Finally, after fighting for the election, both stressing that equal rights for several years, the On Wednesday, November 5 regardless of whether one is a struggle for justice was won and the election of Barack Obama Republican or Democrat, the fact segregation ended. Now, many marked an important day in that America has elected a black believe that America has “put an- American history. Students en- man for president is important. other dagger in racism” as the fi rst tered the school exhausted from Roemer recalled his civil black man is elected president. following the election the night rights experiences during the “The election was not only before, but there was an unde- 40s and 50s. Segregation in a victory for blacks and Demo- niable current of excitement. Baltimore County kept blacks crats, but for America,” said photo by J. Patterson ‘10 “I feel proud and privileged to from entering Roemer’s high Roemer in assembly. “This is The Wizard of Oz.....................p. 13 be an American,” said Kristen school. There were no black not just a white country: the fl ag Next performances: December 5, 8 P.M. Smith ‘10. All day, conversa- elected officials or employees, belongs to everyone. Finally, December 6, 2 P.M. tions couldn’t help but revolve and apartments weren’t rented America did what it said it be- December 6, 8 P.M. around the election. “I feel tired to blacks. To affect change, he lieved in,” he said. Caught up Immersion Week................................p. 3 but invigorated at the same joined the civil rights movement. in a rare moment of patriotism, time,” said Upper School sci- For years, he and other activists Roemer unraveled the American Election Commentary......................p. 6-9 ence teacher Hadiya Woodham. attended brutal sit-ins where they fl ag and waved it as he left the During assembly, Upper often faced violent opposition. podium and ascended the stairs. Sports Previews............................p. 14-15 School history teacher John Ro- “At times, we were beaten to a Assembly, cont’d p. 4 page 2 The Postscript | November 25, 2008 Editorial Bad Behavior On November 12, a student was hit by a car driven by a Park parent. Earlier that day, a Facilities staff member was nearly hit by a parent on a cell phone who drove past her as she was managing the crosswalk. These two incidents are not the fi rst cases of careless drivers, both students and parents, on our campus. The fact is, people are driving too fast and too recklessly. Hurried parents are putting their needs above the safety of others. Parents’ prerogatives have carried over to other driving issues, including creating alternative carpool lines before and after school. Every afternoon when school lets out, parents avoiding the carpool line wait in the aisles of the parking lot. For whatever reason, they have decid- ed not to wait politely with other parents. These cars block in teachers and students trying to leave. At the end of the day, exhausted from school work and sports practices, we are forced to navigate in precarious situations. While most people readily move when they see you entering your car, some refuse to get out of the way for fear they’ll lose their place. Instead of incon- siderately blocking students in, parents should wait their turn in the carpool line, park their cars and walk in, or let their kid take the bus. Parents may have Hand washing vigilantes strike again a hectic schedule, but so does everyone else. All parents are equal and no par- ents are more important than others whether they drive a BMW or a Chevrolet. The same goes for before school drop-off. The giant yellow sign at the entrance The Postscript to the back road prohibiting morning drop-off was placed there for a reason. Unless a child can’t easily access his or her classroom, the back road is not a carpool line. The Park School of Baltimore Recently, the irresponsible actions of heedless parents have al- P.O. 8200 Brooklandville, MD 21022, most led to the injury of students and employees. Rose Sharpe, a mem- Tel. 410-339-7070 ber of the Facilities staff, was almost sideswiped on the crosswalk by a parent on a cell phone. What if she hadn’t stepped out of the way? November 25, 2008 Security chief Bob Peck’s e-mail to the community tries to get out the Volume LXIX|Issue No. 3 message that cell phone use while driving is a dangerous practice. He Editors-in-chief writes, “Many states, although not Maryland, have enacted legislation Becka Althauser, Everett Rosenfeld, which prohibits the practice. For the safety of our families, faculty, and Scotty Shuldiner, Eva Zenilman staff, please do not use your cell phone when you are driving on the Park School campus, and reconsider cell phone use in your car at all other times.” News Features According to the Upper School’s policy on driving, “Drivers are ex- Mariama Eversley Sara Lever pected to obey speed limits and other directions, and exercise caution when Nate Kaufman Rachel Shapiro driving on campus. A student’s driving privileges may be suspended or re- Emma Gross, Assistant Isabelle Schein, Assistant voked for unsafe driving, repeated lateness, illegal parking, etc.” We should Reviews Commentary be holding all members of the Park community to the same standards. Michael Gold Ken Greller Park’s own philosophy encourages the notion of “acting towards oth- Eskender McCoy Daniel Tsemach ers with respect, kindness, concern, and moral conviction.” This is what Jesse Orr, Assistant the school demands from us, and it is what we are asking from you.