MORENO VALLEY, Calif.
Some crossing guards in Moreno Valley are set to lose their jobs beginning at the end of this month, and dozens will be gone by the end of the year. Efforts have stalled on talks between the city and the school district about who should pay. A bell signals the beginning and end of the school day. It also signals the busiest time for crossing guards as they guide children across busy roadways. "When there is no crossing guards, the cars don't respect the people crossing," said Araceli Estrada, a parent. In the next few months, the city of Moreno Valley will begin phasing out its crossing guard program. It's news that Moreno Valley Unified Schools District officials say came as a surprise. "We were surprised because we've been engaged in discussions with the city since the summer time and did not realize the city was finished talking," said Tim McGillivray with the school district. City Councilman Jeffrey Giba says the city notified the district in June, telling them they needed to come up with a plan to take over responsibility for the program. The city currently spends $500,000 a year on crossing guards. It's money the city says it wants to use to repair streets and sidewalks. "The difficult part about all this is that this is coming mid-year, midway through our budget, and we have not budgeted for a half-million dollar program," said McGillivray. "'I'm really disappointed because to me there is no price tag on the safety of our children," said Katie Vazquez, a parent. Parents are concerned because the first phase-out begins Oct. 30. Currently, there 40 crossing guards spread out across 27 locations within the school district. "When our children are crossing the streets without the guidance of having a crossing guard, I'm just afraid of the consequences of that," said Vazquez. "We need a crossing guard here," said Estrada. "The cars here they go really fast, and they do help out a lot."
The school district says it has a moral obligation to do something if the crossing guard program is defunded, but it is waiting until next week's city council meeting to take action.