CHICAGO – The city of Chicago has spent $1 million to add 100 “Safe Passage” workers on the city’s streets to make sure students get to school safely.
There are now 1,300 adults working to help students arrive safely to their schools. In the coming weeks, the city hopes to use $10 million, awarded by Gov. Pat Quinn, to hire and additional 600 Safe Passage guards, The Associated Press reports.
Once all the workers are in place, more guards will be assigned along existing routes and some routes will be extended farther from schools.
Some residents believe that the city is not doing enough to protect students, particularly high school students who engage in extracurricular activities before or after Safe Passage workers are on duty.
Currently, Safe Passage guard begin working less than an hour before classes begin and stop working an hour after school ends.
