Letter: Key reason omitted for walking to school: safety

In response to an article in the Jan. 23 Daily Herald by Marni Pyke about why children do not walk or bike to school, she conveniently omits the biggest reason: safety.

Parents do not feel their children are safe walking or biking to school, and have not for a long time.

My wife and I moved to Wheaton in 1987, when Wheaton was primarily a religious and conservative community. Our kids could bike to Whitier and to Edison schools and we did not worry about that kind of crime. We moved here from Beverly/Morgan Park on Chicago's south side to get away from crime (as well as rotten schools).

Since then, however, Wheaton has become secular and liberal. The rights of the accused have become more important. One reads everyday now (including in your newspaper) about violent crime, and little is being done.

In fact, just this year Illinois has passed the SAFE-T Act that eliminates bail for dangerous criminals.

Further, articles like the one by Ms. Pyke reinforce the perception that the media cannot be trusted to report what is really doing on.

Lee T. Jennings

Wheaton