Fences around playgrounds at schools

happycat · ‎09-18-2010

Just saw on Arkansas news, where last week a little six year old wandered off from an elementary school. They found his body in a nearby swimming pool, not connected to the school in any way. The school is now going to put up a fence around the playground as there wasn't one.

I think there were fences around the playgrounds when my kids were in elementery school. I'm just kind of surprised that there wasn't already a fence around this playground.

The news did say that 5 staff were on administrative leave. I don't know how many kids they were watching.

I know the schools where my niece and nepher go (different towns) have high fences around those playgrounds.

What do ya'll think about that? Are there fences around the playgrounds close to you?

bonnielu · ‎03-11-2010

Yes, and no. The older kids, no fences. The very young yes. However as I watch there seems to be two staff members for one kid. Not kidding. I really think THEY were not watching in this case and perhaps they were short of staff. Tragedy in any case.

Bri36 · ‎02-20-2017

What a tragedy.

No, there was no fence around the playground at my kids' elementary school. They did have a gate that prevented cars from entering the parking lot during recess.

I see some schools with fences and some without. It might have to do with how close they are to a busy street.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I was once coming home from work on a snowy morning and I blew a tire. On that icy street the car was totally out of my control - it just went flying off to the right. There was a school playground right there full of kids and had it not been for the fence stopping my car I could have gone right thru that playground. So I say yes to playground fences. Good strong ones.

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

There are fences at all the schools here. (when they go out to recess) No adults are allowed out there, unless you work there. It would be hard to watch all the kids without a fence. Even growing up, all the schools I attended had fences,

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

The teachers/aides out there in the play yard aren't always looking out after the kids. I drove by an elementary on a busy street one day and saw one boy trying to push another boy over the fence, then there were two boys fistfighting in the yard - nobody watching. Unfortunately I couldn't do anything - if I had stopped, there would have been an accident. I thought to myself - glad those aren't my kids!

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

This is just so tragically sad! I think everyone expects to have their children well supervised when they go off to school, but in reality, it just doesn't happen all the time.

When we were growing up in our town, there were no fences around the playgrounds of most of our elementary schools. Most were on smaller side streets, and it allowed for an open and visually appealing experience, as most of our playgrounds had yards and trees in conjunction to the asphalt. We had a lot of room and lots of nature.

I remember how odd it felt to see the fences go up many years later at those schools. Unfortunately, this is now another necessity of life, to keep kids safe.

AngusandBuddhasMom · ‎03-10-2010

Maybe because I was raised with a pool in the backyard and NJ laws requiring those with a pool to have a fence that I have a different concern. Was there no fence around the pool? That would be my question as well. How was it that this child was able to access the pool so easily.

happycat · ‎09-18-2010

I tried to copy and paste the link, and it didn't work. The artlicle says that the home with the pool was adjacent to the school. It doesn't say anything about a fence around the pool.

I find it hard to belieive that we have an elementary school without a fence and a pool in that close of proximity without a fence also. I wonder if the homeowner had a fence and somehow the child got in thru a gate.

I don't know, it is just terrible.

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

@AngusandBuddhasMom wrote:
Maybe because I was raised with a pool in the backyard and NJ laws requiring those with a pool to have a fence that I have a different concern. Was there no fence around the pool? That would be my question as well. How was it that this child was able to access the pool so easily.

Wherever I have lived, a fence is also required around a pool.