Every year around election time, I get a queasy feeling, and it's not just the politics. It is the only day of the year that the public can enter our school without being signed, buzzed or checked in. Some years, I've kept my kids home. Some, I've just found ways to show up at the school and check things out (yes, I do have a life and yes, I even have a job). Thinking I was just overreacting, I've kept this odd secret to myself. But enough is enough. I have decided that if there is even a chance that my kids could be harmed in their second home, I need to take steps to make them safer.I've started a petition, which I intend on seeing through on a state-level, and national if possible. It's time to move polling places and provide a floating holiday for schools on election day.I've started the petition "Illinois Election Office and Board of Education: Stop using schools as polling places" and need your help to get it off the ground. Please feel free to share or ask me any questions! Thank you for your support.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:
Here's why it's important:
When every other day of the year, the public is required to sign in at schools, why do we still allow schools to be used as public polling places? My own school principal told me that "it's the safest day of the year." I don't agree. Just because there is one policeman at the door with a gun, allowing public to use schools for voting is outdated, and possibly very harmful. Let's take a preventative step - it may be a small step, but it is a step. Choice one - move the polling place, choice two - use one of the "floating" holidays and let the children stay home. If there is even one step we can take to make our kids safer, why wouldn’t we try?
You can sign my petition by clicking here.
Thanks!
Susan Ragaishis
LaGrange Park
