Columnist Susan Snyder: Absence of guards leaves us cross

Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005 | 8:11 a.m.

Before the first day of school was even half over Monday, Helen Lawhon was inundated with reports of those who didn't show up.

The no-shows weren't students, but crossing guards.

"Some of our established crossing guards didn't return this year," said Lawhon, who coordinates Metro Police's crossing-guard program. "We're 40 to 45 short."

Metro provides crossing guards for Clark County's 193 elementary schools. But some new schools, such as Hickey and Bilbray in the valley's northern neighborhoods, didn't have any when pupils arrived Monday.

It's a scary thought, especially after watching what happens even when guards are there.

Some 15 minutes before students were dismissed from Summerlin's Ober Elementary School on Monday, cars already had lined up under the "No Parking" signs on Desert Marigold Lane. Parents arrive early to snare the shady spots.

Carl Geib stood under a tree across from the school, waiting for the day's second round. He has worked as Ober's crossing guard for six years. He was joined by Ray Wagner, another six-year crossing guard veteran.

For 30 minutes each morning and 30 each afternoon, they lead their small charges through the crosswalks, protected by only day-glo vests, hand-held STOP signs and their wits.

"It's not the kids. It's the parents," Geib said. "They're always in a big hurry."

"They don't want to listen to the crossing guards," Wagner added.

"Yeah, they stop in the crosswalks," Geib said. "They holler at you. They swear at you. They make obscene gestures."

Wagner shrugged, and crossed to the other side of the street. His job was to stop traffic on one side of the median. Geib took care of the other side and also a crosswalk on the intersecting street.

"Ma'am, please don't park there," Geib said to a woman who stopped her white sedan at the curb, with the rear half of the car in the crosswalk. She moved but wasn't happy.

"I had a lady in a Cadillac one day who cussed me out," Geib said.

A small crowd of children gathered around Wagner on the other side of the street. Both men walked assertively into the crosswalk, STOP signs and hands held high.

A motorist trying to make a left turn before they got there stopped just short of the crosswalk and sat diagonally in the intersection.

Geib returned to the curb, shaking his head. About 1,000 children cross here every week. Mornings are the worst, he said. Parents running late drop off their own children then speed off without regard to others who still are arriving.

The men walked toward each other again, clearing the way for another group of children. A woman driving a large, white sport utility vehicle sped between them, ignoring their signs, gestures and shouts. A couple of seconds later and the crosswalk would have been packed with children.

"We have a lot of problems with the speeders," Geib said after delivering his charges safely to the curb.

Makes you shudder to think what would happen without the guards. Metro pays $17.30 a day to adults willing to work about 30 minutes each morning and afternoon. To apply, call 229-3446 or 229-3192.