Letter: School Safety`

I am a retired military member, father of two young men, and two young grandchildren. Mr. Rodarte is so on point in highlighting the need for school safety to be prioritized over neighborhood aesthetics. I am sure that TUSD can reach a compromise with the local neighborhood personnel so that the Sam Hughes Elementary School fence does not detract too much from the neighborhood aesthetics while providing a safer environment for the school. I am a firm believer that a life, whether that of a child, a teacher, and/or a staff member is worth the effort to find a common solution. Ultimately, however, safety must be a priority over aesthetics. As has been stated before after a school or any other tragedy, thoughts and prayers from people in positions of leadership has become a trite and meaningless expression. Instead, they need to take the necessary steps to prevent these types of events from happening.

Peter Garcia

Northwest side

Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.