To the editor:

Each morning between 8 and 9:30 and each afternoon between 2 and 3:30, from Monday through Friday, there are cars lined up for a half mile at Deerfield School as parents drop off and pick up their children. This situation is no doubt replicated across the remaining grade schools in Lawrence

If one questions why children are not walking to school, the answers often speak of bullying or fear of abduction. These are certainly legitimate concerns. Child safety must be our greatest concern. However, the current practice involves a waste of gasoline and the deprivation of exercise that children gain by walking to school. Moreover, lines of cars create a dangerous situation for children.

Perhaps the issue of monitoring to prevent bullying or other dangers could be addressed by having responsible adults such as available parents or retired people placed a intervals along the sidewalks. Additionally, a police car could be stationed at each school during pick-up and drop-off times. Placing police cars at the schools would teach children that the police are there to protect them. Such an arrangement could solve the problem of bullying and fear of abduction.

What we have suggested may or may not be feasible, but there must be a better way to move children to and from school. Perhaps safe, economical movement of children to and from school could be a project for parent-teacher associations.