Voting in Schools Undermines Safety for Students

I am writing as an active member of this community, but more importantly as a concerned mother of two daughters in the Hillsborough Middle School and High School.  

I was utterly outraged when during our family dinner, my girls told me they saw strangers walking in and out of their schools voting this past Election Day. In years prior, schools have been closed for Election Day.  

Mind you, I’m still not comfortable with that given anyone can plant a timer on a bomb these days but seriously, voting during school with NO security in place not to mention, NO notification to parents. 

The district sends out Honeywell Alerts letting us know of bus delays, reports cards, student pictures and other random occurrences within the schools, but when you willingly allow strangers to roam school halls, you don’t so much as to notify the parents.  

Had I known about this, I would have kept my daughters home! We have banned voting within our elementary schools to keep people who don’t belong in schools out of them thereby creating a safer environment for our younger children.  In all our schools, we have locked doors, visitors passes and lockdown drills to prepare our children. Why is Election Day an exception?  Why a day when political nut jobs have an opportunity to voice their opinion, would you possibly allow anyone in our schools?  

Given our rapidly changing society in which all schools are threatened and the growing prevalence of violence in schools, teachers and students being murdered, why are you openly allowing strangers in to our schools?  I truly hope the Board of Education, the Mayor and anyone else involved in making this decision will make a better one next year.  

I strongly recommend using public buildings such as firehouse (who are far more equipped to deal with deadly threats), churches/temples as well as the municipal building.  If that means limited or more crowded voting stations so be it but please do not put our children in danger. 

Do not be responsible for allowing strangers in our schools!  

Christine Hutchinson