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Putnam City Resident Pushes for School Crossing Law After Near-Miss at Mayfield Middle
After witnessing over 100 students cross a busy intersection without a guard, Rebecca Ramirez blocked traffic with her car and is now lobbying for a new state law and a traffic light. The district says it is hiring guards for the location.
A Putnam City resident is calling for stronger school crossing laws after she says she witnessed more than 100 students crossing a busy intersection near Mayfield Middle School without a crossing guard. Rebecca Ramirez, whose children do not attend the school, said she was so concerned for the students' safety that she used her own vehicle to block traffic at the four-way stop at Northwest 16th Street and Purdue Avenue during dismissal.
Ramirez said drivers were honking at her and failing to yield to students. "They're not being patient at all. They're honking. They're not yielding to, or not stopping to the students when they are crossing the street," she said. "It is an inflow, heavy inflow of students crossing the street during dismissal."
Her concern was heightened by a recent hit-and-run crash that injured a 12-year-old girl walking to school on the morning of Oct. 29 in the 1600 block of N. Purdue St. in Oklahoma City. "There was a district patrol vehicle stationed outside, but there wasn't really any control of the traffic when the students were crossing the street," Ramirez said.
Ramirez has sent legislative sponsorship packets to Rep. Ellyn Hefner and Sen. Julia Kirt, seeking support for a proposal she calls the Oklahoma Student Pedestrian Safety Act of 2027. She also wants the city to install a traffic light at the busy four-way stop. In the meantime, she suggests that staff members volunteer as crossing guards until the safety concerns are resolved.
Putnam City Schools said it has procedures in place for student arrival and dismissal and provides transportation and crossing guard coverage across the district. "The safety and security of Putnam City students extends well beyond our school doors. We maintain detailed arrival and dismissal procedures across all campuses, provide bus service for eligible students, and staff 17 crossing guard locations across the District," the district said in a statement. "Additionally, several building administrators go above and beyond to help with crossing at other key areas as needs arise and while we search for a permanent guard. That said, we are actively hiring crossing guards, including for NW 16th and Purdue, to keep students safe. Anyone interested in joining our team can apply at putnamcityschools.org/careers."
Sen. Kirt's office said she currently does not have enough information about the proposal. Rep. Hefner had not responded to a request for comment.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about pedestrian safety near schools in the Oklahoma City metro area, where busy intersections and a lack of crossing guards can put students at risk during arrival and dismissal times.