Dear SBISD...

Are you really “For Every Child?”

This year, I had the pleasure of taking Spanish VI at Thornwood Elementary School. Every other day as I drive to Thornwood, I witness the chaos at the Tully and Fern intersection by the school. This intersection deeply worries me because Thornwood, Spring Forest, and Stratford students all use this route to walk, bike, bus, or drive to school. Then it dawned on me that in Thornwood’s school zone, there are just a few inconspicuous signs that limit the speed limit. Additonally, there is no flashing sign that warns of the fine for cell phone usage when near a campus, like I’ve seen in nearby elementaries. Frostwood Elementary, for instance, has several of these signs banning cell phone usage in the radius of its campus; yet Thornwood has none.

According to Thornwood principal Sandra Houston, there used to be a cell phone warning sign, but it was removed.

This issue also persists at high school campuses: Northbrook High School has absolutely no visible signs that warn

WRITTENBYISABELLAVILLALOBOS(12)

drivers of there being a school zone speed limit.

I believe that these protective signs should be required in all school zones. It is imperative that all SBISD schools have either a flashing stop or phone ban sign.

In my quest to uncover the truth about school zone signs, I emailed an SBISD representative to ask who determines the placement of these signs. I was informed that the City of Houston is in charge of purchasing them, so I called the city. After being redirected to five different departments, I was told that this is a Harris County matter, not the City of Houston’s. Harris County informed me that these signs are only placed in school zones when the actual school decides to get one. I sent superintendent Dr. Blaine an email asking her about this signage, and she said that “school zone and cell phone signage are the reponsibility of the city for which the street belongs.” In the midst of searching for answers