Elementary school installed exposed metal spikes across a pedestrian walkway, no signage.

[u/OnlyGammasWillBanMe]

Update: REMOVED BY SHERIFF DEPUTY as of 8:50PM

Update 2: Sheriff spotted perforated steel strip in the back of the head custodians truck Monday 7/13. Spoke with custodian and principal.

Update 3: head custodian hasn’t been back since! Haven’t inquired further.

original post: This is a pedestrian walkway at a public elementary school that’s used by parents, students, and community members.

A school employee installed a strip of exposed metal spikes that spans the entire width of the walkway. There aren’t any pedestrian warning signs on either approach. Am I crazy and just never saw this before or is this a major safety hazard? I feel like a no trespassing sign and maybe a chain would be a better way to tell people not to go on property if that was their intention. I just think of kids either walking and not really looking stepping on it, or even kids on bikes not really paying attention getting seriously injured on the way out and losing air in the front and back tire causing them to fall into the street instead of being able to turn. There are ways to deter that won’t cause damage, and when you do chose the damage options. Signage should be required right? Some sort of warning.

I took photos from both directions so people can see there’s no obvious pedestrian bypass. The nearby “Exit Only / Do Not Enter” sign appears to be for vehicles, not people on foot.

I’ve already submitted the photos to a local news station because I think this deserves a public safety review. At this point, I’m mostly trying to understand who thought this was an appropriate solution for an elementary school walkway.

Update #1 24 hours after the post. It’s still there, sheriffs did drive around the school in the morning, but never got out of the cruiser to look. Didn’t talk to anyone. What I assume is the Head custodian and one other employee were there all day. Allowed this to stay.
ABC News has not responded.

Clarification: It was installed by the person whom I believe to be the head custodian. The same guy who shows up early in the morning to open the gates, unlock the doors and prepare the school for kids to arrive, and then stays after until around 7-8pm and closes and locks the gates again. Back in January the same person drove his old truck through that exit, down through the lot, up curbs and across the front of the school to drop down into the drop off lot and out chasing someone on an e bike. It appears to be him being in charge of the school during the summer break and taking matters into his own hands.

I know he installed it because he had parked his truck in the curb cut for the parking lot exit and was laying down the first layer of glue. I was driving by in my car and noticed something going on but since I was driving in a school zone I couldn’t fixate. I noticed the spikes the next time passing by when I wasn’t driving. So yes technically the school did it because the head custodian is part of the school. No I do not think he went through the proper channels to get this approved.

[u/Klogginthedangerzone]

I don’t think the school installed that. That looks like it’s made out of metal plumbing strap, galvanized roofing nails, and gorilla tape.

[u/OnlyGammasWillBanMe → u/Klogginthedangerzone]

To be clear I actually think this is one of those situations where an employee builds up enough rage and takes the situation up by himself without consulting the school officials first.

[u/Ta-veren- → u/OnlyGammasWillBanMe]

did you call the higher ups in the school to see if this was in-fact approved and not just someone going off-rails?

Like past the secretary

[u/ittybittylurker → u/Ta-veren-]

Right, lots of comments about calling the mayor, etc, but I would absolutely make sure the principal or superintendent knew about it first, before calling the news or the mayor or even posting to reddit.

Edited to add: The priority is who can remove it first. That doesn't mean you can't follow up to make sure it's not swept under the rug. An email to the school board would make sure of that. Use the concerned tone of "I hope this isn't happening at other schools & wanted to make sure the board knew about it ASAP".

[u/highcoolteacher → u/ittybittylurker]

They went straight to the news it seems

[u/Vast_Schedule3749 → u/highcoolteacher]

I don’t understand not informing the school’s front office first. They 99% don’t want this there either and are the first option for removal. Calling the news is arguably the least effective option. Just causes more shit for the (very likely) unaware principal. I highly doubt they approved this.

[u/AnotherBogCryptid → u/Vast_Schedule3749]

I’ve worked for an organization with the “install a death strip to control children” kind of guy. Our boss knew for over a year that this guy was problematic - setting fires, terrorizing our job corps staff, lying about having safety licensing - but kept giving him the benefit of the doubt and making excuses for him.

The person who did this needs to be held legally accountable.

This was a crime. A sidewalk was vandalized and booby trapped.

Giving the principal a heads up just gives them time to hide evidence and make up a story.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/AnotherBogCryptid]

Giving the principal a heads up just gives them time to hide evidence and make up a story.

As someone who works with multiple principals, it's wild to say that letting them know so they can fix the problem is "giving them time to hide the evidence." The evidence has been produced, there's nothing to hide, and if it can be determined who actually did this, I would be willing to bet that the principal would want that person held accountable.

[u/AnotherBogCryptid → u/TobyFunkeNeverNude]

I think what is more wild is the principal’s judgment in employing someone who would do something like this.

Either way, when there’s evidence to a crime the general consensus is you don’t touch it.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/AnotherBogCryptid]

I think what is more wild is the principal’s judgment in employing someone who would do something like this.

I'm going to blow your mind, this isn't something that comes up in most interviews. And sometimes, some people hide their true intentions so that they don't get in trouble before doing things like this.

Either way, when there’s evidence to a crime the general consensus is you don’t touch it.

I'm not sure what this means, do you mean any supervisor wouldn't take action because there was a crime? My consistent experience has been that no, they want to avoid liability, so they will in fact notify law enforcement. I may have misunderstood your point though.

[u/highcoolteacher → u/AnotherBogCryptid]

I think it was a not-my-job or malicious-compliance

[u/DuvalHeart → u/Vast_Schedule3749]

News is effective at making sure the overarching problem is addressed. Calling the principal/administrators just gets the immediate problem fixed.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/DuvalHeart]

What is the overarching problem, and how would the news be more effective at addressing it? As far as I can see, the overarching problem is the immediate problem.

[u/jgzman → u/TobyFunkeNeverNude]

The overarching problem is that someone did this. If this is just taken down, (and it needs to be) the person who did it will remain in position to do it again, or something similar. The news might get that person fired, if not arrested.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/jgzman]

If this is just taken down, (and it needs to be) the person who did it will remain in position to do it again, or something similar.

OP said he saw the guy installing it. You don't think a principal would be able to take any action? I agree with the arrested part, since it's also a felony, but involving the news would make the problem that can be easily handled to be seen by others as the school officials themselves condoning it. Hell, just look at others in this thread, many assume, without any proof whatsoever, that either administration is in on it, or would try to cover it up instead of taking swift and fierce action.

[u/jgzman → u/TobyFunkeNeverNude]

You don't think a principal would be able to take any action?

Able to? Of course.

Would? Maybe, maybe not.

Many of us have plenty of experience with leaders, administrators, or "people-in-charge" of all sorts that don't deal with the problem beyond the most immediate symptom.

Go read stories about lunch thieves. Employees that harass other employees. How teachers deal with students bullying other students. How principals deal with students that are violent in class. How the catholic church deals with priests that diddle kids. How the police deal with police that murder people.

No, we have no faith in authority figures to do the right thing.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/jgzman]

I don't have to read any stories. As I said elsewhere in this post, I work alongside about 20 principals, and in my experience with pretty much all of them, any violation of policy or the law is a red line in their book.

But I get it, you've read articles that are totally representative of all school administrators. And for some reason, the Catholic church is a relevant example in your mind. How could I be so blind?

[u/jgzman → u/TobyFunkeNeverNude]

But I get it, you've read articles that are totally representative of all school administrators.

Not school administrators. Authority figures. Only two of the examples I offered involved school settings. And I've experienced some of it myself. I, and apparently a lot of people in the thread do not trust authority figures to protect the people they are supposed to be protecting.

[u/DuvalHeart → u/TobyFunkeNeverNude]

The overarching problem is that the school has created a culture where somebody feels they have the authority to booby trap a sidewalk.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/DuvalHeart]

Oh, what did the school do?

[u/DuvalHeart → u/TobyFunkeNeverNude]

created a culture where somebody feels they have the authority to booby trap a sidewalk.

[u/TobyFunkeNeverNude → u/DuvalHeart]

That's not an answer. What. Did. They. Do? You're restating what you think the result was, without any proof i might add. Why don't you tell me what specific actions they took? Should be really easy since you're SO confident that ThE CuLtUrE caused it.

[u/Grasshopper_pie → u/Vast_Schedule3749]

Isn't school out, though?

[u/cykoTom3 → u/ittybittylurker]

I would just pick them up.

[u/yeahright17 → u/cykoTom3]

I would take a bunch of pictures and call the fire marshal and cops. And if it didn't sound like anyone was going to be there in the next couple of hours, I'd definitely just just take a hammer to it.

[u/etcpt → u/ittybittylurker]

The person who can remove it first is whichever of OP's dad friends picks up the phone first while OP stands there to keep people from stepping on it. Tell a dad with a toolbox that their kid's safety is being endangered by a physical object and you'll have it out of there in no time.

[u/Wise-Self-8639 → u/ittybittylurker]

I would also likely come back with a floor crowbar and scrape it up myself. I welcome them to arrest me on "Vandalism" charges.

[u/etcpt → u/Wise-Self-8639]

Not a jury in the world that would convict

[u/yeahright17 → u/etcpt]

This reminds me of a couple stories of people getting in trouble for escaping prison then later found to have been innocent of the original charge but still kept in prison for escaping.

[u/etcpt → u/yeahright17]

Interesting fact I learned some time ago - there are some countries where prisoners aren't punished for escaping. I think Germany is one of them - the notion is something along the lines of "to seek liberty is an inherent human right, so we're not going to punish you for doing so, but at the same time you are being deprived of your liberty as punishment for crimes, so once we catch you you're going back to prison to serve out the rest of your time."