'Safety' cited as reason to close schools on Election Day

By CANDY BROOKS

ThisWeek Staff Writer

Published: November 6, 2008
Edition: Worthington
Section: News
Page: 01A



Those who voted in one of the 12 Worthington schools that double as polling places might have noticed something missing Tuesday. For the first time in history, Election Day was a vacation day for students and staff at all Worthington schools.

The district's calendar committee, made up of parents and staff members, based its decision to close the schools on experiences in the 2004 election, which saw chaos in some school corridors and traffic and parking jams outside.

"Safety was the No. 1 reason," Assistant Superintendent Paul Cynkar said.

Some parents recently suggested that the vacation day be canceled to make up for the calamity days the district had used in September.

"For this kind of turnout in a presidential election, this is the right thing to do," Cynkar said.

There is no plan to close the schools on Election Day in coming years.

In 2004, the large turnout resulted in long lines either outside the schools' entrances or inside, when principals decided to allow voters to come in out of the rain.

The number of people in the hallways sometimes resulted in chaos in the classrooms, according to a memo from Cynkar to school board member Julie Keegan. In one location, a voter watched an angry special-education student create a scene.

Voters also caused some scenes, especially those fervent campaigners who tried to distribute literature, who set up tents near school grounds and who tried to have a presence at the site.

In a pair of incidents, minor confrontations occurred, Cynkar said.

Parking also was a problem, with precinct workers taking staff parking spaces and overflow ending up on the streets. Bus drivers had a difficult time maneuvering around parked vehicles, he said.

Central administrators were forced to go to two buildings to supervise, resulting in little being accomplished for some employees on Election Day in 2004.

The calendar change resulted in adding a Thursday to the last week of the school year, which did not create many problems, Cynkar added.

Schools that also served as poll locations were Brookside, Liberty, Slate Hill, Wilson Hill, Worthington Hills, Worthington Estates, Sutter Park and Worthington Park elementary schools; Perry, Worthingway and Kilbourne middle schools; and Worthington Kilbourne High School.

cbrooks@thisweeknews.com


Illustration: Photo

By Adam Cairns/ThisWeek Adam Smith, left, and Rich Wetzel cast their ballots during Election Day voting at Worthington Estates Elementary on Nov. 4. Worthington canceled schools for the day.



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