Letter: Students' safety compromised

A danger for students with severe, profound and orthopedic disabilities is looming in the City of Wheatland. The city has chosen to allow the construction of a road through the Virginia School campus and playground. 

Virginia School is a special educational program operated by the Yuba County Office of Education serving students 3 to 22 years of age from all school districts within Yuba County. It has been in its current location for 29 years, and now a high traffic road will be constructed to pass through the south end of the playground. This road will limit the campus size, destroy the exercise program for students with physical disabilities, and also increase the danger to all students with traffic only a few feet from the school ground. Even with close supervision those children with high levels of impulsivity have scaled the fence in the past. Seven buses currently transport those children to school. The congestion of having a thoroughfare coupled with children who have no fear of automobiles could be deadly. 

Does the City of Wheatland want to be known for endangering the lives of children with severe disabilities attending a school in their community? It is their responsibility to protect all children and this is not the decision that puts the safety of children first.
I served as the Virginia School principal for 17 years and understand the safety issues for children. Please stop this road.

Russ McAnulty
Yuba City