Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press Lammersville board for crossing guards, liability analysis after Cuesta accident
Summary
Multiple parents and PTA members urged the board to secure crossing guards and coordinate with the city after a recent accident near Cuesta; speakers asked for a public liability/insurance analysis and cited recurring incidents at several school sites.
Several residents and PTA leaders urged the Lammersville Joint Unified School District board on Sept. 4 to act after a recent student accident near Cuesta Elementary, calling for crossing guards, training and better district–city coordination.
"So what is the plan for student safety at LUSD?" asked resident and LUSD parent Surekha Shekhar, who said families remain anxious after the incident and requested a public update on steps the district has taken. Shekhar explicitly raised liability as a barrier and asked whether federal or state grants could help fund a crossing-guard program.
Cuesta parent Louisa Roberts described receiving a photo after the incident and said staff and counselors provided comfort, but that students were left confused: "Young children need routine," Roberts said, adding that the school should teach students how to travel to and from campus safely and urging the board to "please come tomorrow and talk at the meeting as our representatives."
Sindhu, a Khosla Elementary PTA board member, recommended trialing staff or volunteer coverage and stronger collaboration with the city: "When we compare to other Bay Area schools ... they work with crossing guards," she said, arguing a phased staffing approach would allow the district to measure impact while minimizing costs. A volunteer who has been staffing crossings said turnout for volunteers has been low and urged the district to publish an analysis: "What does liability insurance look like? What does that actual cost to the taxpayers? Put that out there," he said.
Board President Stephanie Olson reminded the public that Brown Act rules limit board members' responses to non-agendized comments but said the district "takes student safety very seriously" and invited residents to the next safety committee meeting on Sept. 11 at 3:45 p.m. Olson also noted that road safety is within the city's purview and that the district is responsible for on-campus safety.
What happened and what’s next: speakers identified prior incidents near Bethany School and Red Rose Montessori and warned the board the problem recurs roughly annually. Commenters said they will attend the city council meeting to press for joint action; trustees and staff did not take an immediate action at the Sept. 4 meeting beyond directing attendees to the district's public safety committee meeting.
