Editorial: Safekey program is big help for parents

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 | 9 a.m.

Safekey is a low-cost, government-run program that supervises elementary school students on campus both before and after school, periods of time when most parents are at work. The invaluable program for children ages 6 to 12 is operated by local governments' recreation departments. Safekey even has expanded into other areas, too, including summer camps. Private day-care schools aren't happy about the success of Safekey, though, which serves an estimated 8,000 children. The private operators say they're at an economic disadvantage because the government program doesn't have to foot the kind of expenses they do, like taxes, and it isn't required to have its employees licensed as day-care workers like they do.

The Safekey program's costs are relatively low -- $13 a week for before-school care and $28 a week for after-school care. A private school could end up costing several hundred dollars more per year for one child alone. If Safekey didn't exist, some families struggling to make ends meet might not be able to afford private-run facilities, which would mean no supervision until the parents get home. Not only might the children get into trouble -- instead of doing their homework at Safekey, as is often the case -- but they also could be harmed if they're out roaming the streets. It also should be remembered that the private day-care schools dominate the pre-school market, so their primary mission is hardly in jeopardy. Local governments, for the well-being of children, should keep Safekey intact.