Dear editor,

The good news for parents of students who formally attended Eastside and are now at Ballard is that your kids will be in a new building that is more cost efficient. The bad news is that the safety ends when your children go out for recess. Here’s why.

When your kids go out to play during lunch, the doors lock behind them, and not even the paraprofessionals who are paid to keep them safe can get back into the building. If children are injured, they have to wait for someone to hear their knocks and come and let them inside the building. From bathroom emergencies to broken limbs, the children and paraprofessionals are at the mercy of someone just happening to hear their cries for help.

This seems like a simple fix. But apparently, the Ballard administration knows something that we don’t, because although they have been alerted to the problem numerous times, and simple solutions have been offered; nothing has changed. I even called the personnel director to ask what could be done. And instead of being reassured profusely that this issue would be resolved – and quickly – I was simply badgered for my name. I called back six weeks later to see if anything had been accomplished, and was again only lectured on not giving my name. Well, if a name is what will get something done, I have some names for you: Amy DeVos, Zech Hoyt, John Tanke. These are the names of the people who know about the problem, who have the power to fix it, and who have yet to do anything about it.

Ballard and Eastside parents: join together, demand a change and something can finally be done. After all, parents don’t care about test scores, new buildings or budget cuts when they can’t be assured of the basic safety of their children.

Cindy Smith
Niles