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Northern Lehigh superintendent recommends four crossing guards; parent urges bus service instead
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Lake recommended hiring four crossing guards at key Slatington and Walnutport intersections to protect walking routes for students; a parent speaker, Joshua Pittman, urged the district to provide bus transportation instead and sharply criticized the board’s prior statements on bus service. The board gave no firm direction at the meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Lake asked the Northern Lehigh School District board to authorize steps toward hiring four crossing guards to supervise key intersections on walking routes in Slatington and Walnutport, saying crossing guards would provide increased supervision for secondary students who live within two miles and are ineligible for bus rostering.
Dr. Lake named four intersections proposed for guards: Main & Dow (near Turkey Hill) and Main & Center (near Beckville’s Pharmacy) in Slatington; the Main & North Walnut/Route 873 location near ID Wraps in Slatington; and Main & Canal in Walnutport. He asked the board whether administration should seek permission from both boroughs, begin advertising for crossing-guard positions, set up onboarding and training, and procure equipment — or alternatively explore other options or remain with the status quo.
At the public-comment period that followed, Joshua Pittman, a Walnutport parent, urged the district to provide bus transportation rather than rely on crossing guards. Pittman said his daughter lives at the outer edge of the district’s walk zone and cited a nearby bus within a short walking distance as a ready solution. He disputed a figure mentioned at a prior meeting about bus counts, calling the previously cited “250,000” number an ‘‘absolute fabrication’’ and criticized board members who said the money for bus service would not be worth it. Pittman described walking conditions — including a dangerous bridge over the Lehigh River and limited sidewalks on Center Street — and told the board, “This is a safety issue. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
The board opened discussion after the public comment but, according to Chair remarks, offered no clear direction to administration to pursue the crossing‑guard recommendation at this meeting. Superintendent Dr. Lake interpreted the lack of direction as the board declining to have administration pursue options at this time. No formal vote occurred on hiring crossing guards during the session.
The superintendent framed the crossing‑guard proposal as a near‑term operational step (permission requests, hiring, training, equipment purchases) that would require cooperation from the boroughs. The board did not schedule a follow-up vote or commit to a timeline during the meeting.
Next steps: Administration will not proceed with hiring or borough requests unless directed by the board; the matter may return to a future agenda if board members request further exploration or formal approval.
