Elementary School Crossing Guard Fiasco

We live pretty close to Jackson's Elementary School. Our street is just across Plantation Drive and it takes about 6 minutes to walk to and from the school. Anyway, for years the crossing guard has not only helped the kids cross the street safely but he has also directed traffic so parents can drive in and out of the school.... until today apparently. I didn't actually take Jackson to school this morning so I didn't witness this stuff first hand. But apparently there were cars backed up all over the place in and around the school. Without the guy stopping traffic on Plantation, it's pretty much impossible for cars to get in and out of the school. It was such a mess that a couple of the teachers at the school were handing out little slips of paper with the Chief Police's phone number on it so we could call and complain. So I did. Why not? I wasn't even in the mess but I called to gripe anyway. How's that for being a nuisance.

So, I was sent to this one Police Officer who was assigned to handle all of the Elementary School calls. And I guess since I was courteous and respectful (for a change) he just thought he would unload all off the details on me. Who knows, maybe he was telling everyone who called all the details of the situation. He probably spent almost 10 minutes on the phone with me. If he takes that long to explain the situation to every parent who calls today, he's not going to get anything else done. So he said things like, "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but....." and "between you and me......" I was thinking, "What?? You don't know me!!" He was telling me things that really should have been confidential between the school, the crossing guard, and the police. It was weird. I hope for his sake, all of his indiscretions don't come back to bite him in the butt. Like what if someone he talked to posted about their conversation on her blog??

So anyway, they're probably going to start making the parents exit the school in another direction and circle around to a traffic light somewhere. And inevitably people will gripe and complain and be totally uncooperative. If I go the route that I'm probably going to have to start going, it will add a few minutes to "our commute." And sure, I would rather not waste those precious few minutes of my life. But, man, I'll get over it. We are so spoiled here in Lake Jackson that we don't think it should take more than five minutes to get anywhere. And if everyone in walking distance from the school would get off their lazy butts (including myself) and just walk to drop off and pick up their kids, that would help out a lot. And we might even collectively shed a few pounds.