Crossing Guard Under Fire For Waving

[Skywatch_NC]

Crossing Guard Under Fire For Waving
Motorist Says Waving Is Too Distracting

POSTED: 1:41 pm EST January 30, 2006
UPDATED: 2:03 pm EST January 30, 2006

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- A school crossing guard is now smiling at drivers, but she is not waving after one man complained to her supervisor that it was too distracting.

Since August, Sharon White, 62, has been helping children cross Kensington Road on their way to Prairie Park Elementary School, KMBC-TV in Kansas City reported.

When she wasn't walking, she waved to drivers. But one man gave her greetings a chilly reception, claiming that her waving was distracting drivers, making it unsafe for the children. He went to police, asking her to stop.

"So now, I know try to acknowledge those who wave and try not to disturb those who don't," White said.

White smiled instead of waving at drivers Monday. She said that her supervisor with the police department told her it would be best if she stopped waving.

But Sgt. Dan Ward said that the department would never order an employee to not be friendly or wave to the public.

About 60 people, including students, staff and parents carried signs Friday at the intersection that said, "Save the wave."

The television station reported that the man who called police drove by the intersection Monday morning videotaping White.

http://www.wral.com/education/6593747/detail.html

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc.

[alicia-w]

oh brother

[O Town]

Come on now.

[Cookiely]

I pass one gaurd who waves and I think it slows traffic down which is good. Keep waving.

[DaylilyDawn]

I am a school crossing guard for Crystal Lake Elementary and if I don't wave to the cars coming through my zone, they speed through it. I am constantly having to motion to them to lower their speed because if they don't they will ruin their car by running over the big speed bump that is in the middle of the school zone. If they go over it at a high rate of speed, the front end of the car will smack down on the road as it comes over the top of the bump. I had to call the sherrif dept. about a semi truck that was parked within 15 feet of the begining of the school zone and the law says nothing may park within 60 feet of the zone. We came to an agreement that if he parks a cetain distance from a bent fence post , he will be OK When he parked so close, the traffic coming down the road would not be able to see the sign saying it is a school zone. I have been after the people to replace the sign that Hurricane Charley took out..