What is the added danger?

My whole point is "what if" I don't want something to have to happen before changes are made - why not be proactive like other towns before something goes wrong! Any candidate coming to a school brings more strangers - It only takes 1 Idiot to act for something to go wrong.

Keep schools open on Election Day - have voting in other places. Wouldn't benefit the PTO fundraisers though, would it? Parking at the schools when there is voting is horrendous.

Why do I feel like the people complaining are also the first ones who will complain when we have to make up the days at the end of June? If you feel unsafe, keep your kids home.

I was at two of the Elementary Schools on voting day and the kids were in no danger, as a matter of fact the faculty had everything under control and I was very impressed. I live in woburn and have two kids that attend the schools. Some people just need to complain about everything.

As some one who was on the front lines for this, we had a great system to keep track of every kid, extra hands and certain areas were off limits..But I was blown away by the conversations of our Reeves kids, they were fired up for democracy..or a constitutional republic. And kudos to our older generation for coming to the polls looking daper and professional, we all could learn from them!

Those kids will remember him coming to the school forever. I think it's great! Voting is one of the most American things we can do and I think it's great for the kids to watch it and be more connected to it rather than fear it. I worked a bake sale on a voting day one year and what a great vibe! There has never been any reason to warrant school closing so why would people even think of it? No matter how many precautions we take, life is dangerous everywhere, all the time. A question for the people that want school closed; do you go to the bank, mall, movie theater? Will your children go to high school or college? They have all been deadly. I vote YES, keep voting the way it is and spend this energy on more pressing issues.

I'm happy the Linscott doesn't have voting , everyone else had the day off in other towns ...

I think the schools did a good job with the kids I do think the parking was a real nightmare and the traffic at the start of school and after school was at times concerning. The issue of why wait for a tragedy is valid especially when the kids are coming and going and crossing streets that have by the event more traffic and traffic unfamiliar with the children's routes and kids behavior on school grounds. I would support schools closing every 4 year on election day as the Presidential election brings out twice as many voters and more voters who are not familiar with school traffic patterns. Even with out this increase in Cars and kids we have seen tragedies like the one in Stoneham a few years ago when cars and kids are in close proximity. On a regular school day the traffic and confusion on school grounds can lead to events no one wants repeated double the traffic and ad in unfamiliar drivers and you more then double the chances something happens.

I did keep my kids home! It is not about inconvenience it is about child safety!!!! How do you feel about 3 different strange Men allowed into the kindergarten bathroom ? If it is not an issue then I guess all the other towns are wrong?!?!?

I was told it Happened at Goodyear yesterday - I Will say I was not there to see for myself. That said I do not know if they were voters or They could have been working the polls And if they were I understand they have to use the bathroom- But nevertheless they were allowed into kindergarten bathrooms why were they not given a key to the teacher facilities?

I used them too. No kids at 7pm though.

@MM - Yes life is dangerous everywhere, but it is our job as parents to protect our children when we can! Yes my children go to bank,mall And movie theater But they are with Me so i can watch them and Do my best to keep them safe. Yes, They will go to high school and hopefully college But they will not be 5 to 10 years old then!

I have worked at many election bake sales for our PTO. Many people do use the school bathrooms, which are around the corner form the voting area. While there is a policeman present, and the teachers work hard to keep the children supervised and safe, the fact remains that there are strangers coming in and out of the school all day. At any other time during the school year, people aren't allowed in without being buzzed in and questioned . It just takes one incident - is it worth taking that chance? Take your kids to the polls with you if you want them to learn about democracy - but lets keep them safe!

It's not only Woburn schools that should close on election day.... everything should. We should eliminate all excuses people use not to vote. It should happen on a weekend or be made a holiday. Then the use of schools -- which are after all public buildings -- can't be turned into a controversy. Yes I have a child and no I'm not concerned for her safety in school on election day. I'm thrilled she has a front row seat.

It's exciting that candidate Brown showed up at the Reeves school, disruptive though it may have been. At least it was an educational disruption. No matter what you think of the 3-ring circus that accompanied him, that is in fact how our elections work. Hype, entourage, and all; it's good for our kids to be exposed to it.

Was that bathroom open to the kids or did they have the kids use a different bathroom? I think if there are flaws (even though I have not seen any) I would prefer to fix the flaws instead of having the kids not go. With so many working families it would be a difficult and costly day for some and I'm sure some kids would be forced to stay home alone. That way people who feel they need to stay home can do so while letting the families who need to send their kids can and the families who want their children to witness it also have that opportunity.

I would love to hear from the schools' crossing guards about their thoughts on traffic during election day.

It worked out fine again. The voters are kept away from the students,we voted in the gymnasium. There has never been any reported contact between students and voters that I am aware of. The crowds were big though. That's why it doesn't make sense to move it to one polling station, Imagine the traffic both pedestrian and vehicles that would clog up the area. And the lines would be just as long. The crossing guards definitely earned their money yesterday.

I think they should close the schools because it is very stressful on the staff and parents. I work at the Reeves and we had a monitor watch the kids bathroom and had the voters use the ones by the office. Everything went smooth because everyone did their job but I am very happy it is over!

Lived here my whole life and the schools were always a voting place what is different now then when I was a child? If you don't like it leave them home, keep it in the school and have the schools open... My God people lighten up Francis

I have to vote at the Hurld-I definitely don't think that particular school should be used-the parking situation is a nightmare. I was there yesterday in the few minutes I had before I had to pick up my kids at the White. It was an accident waiting to happen in the parking lot between the parents waiting to pick up their kids, the voters trying to find a spot, and children being dismissed from school. While nothing has happened in Woburn yet, it would be nice if we could be proactive. I think some of the schools are better equipped to deal with the extra traffic than others, especially for a presidential election. Not sure if it is allowed/legal, but maybe some of the hotels could be used as polling places?

The parking itself becomes a nightmare on election day. When you have a school like the Shamrock, that does not have busing (which means kids walking on the school sidewalks), then you add in elderly voters that end up parking on a sidewalk, and sign holders taking up entire portions of the sidewalk, forcing the kids to walk out around them, you're creating a dangerous environment (and before anyone says a word, one of the parents took a photo of a voter parking on the sidewalk). Why should that chance be taken? Then you run into the additional problem of parents having nowhere to park when it's time to pick the kids up from school, because the parking areas and both sides of the driveway are being taken up by voters. I'm GLAD 75% of Woburn turned out to vote yesterday, but let's be smart and follow other towns leads, and not have the kids in school on election day.

Yes i believe Woburn should have closed schools on election day. I dropped my child off at the Hurld and there were no police out there it was awful. Traffic coming in and out of school was crazy. The poor crossing guard did an awesome job as he always does, but he should have definitely had help. The voters were getting blocked in by parents dropping off and other voters.

I just spoke with Asst. Supt. Gary Reese about whether the public was allowed into bathrooms at Goodyear, as stated in these comments. The story is updated with his statement, which I'll also post here:

"Both the school staff, as well as the police department, work together to provide a safe voting situation for the community. At no time were the students at risk from our perspective. We appreciate the feedback from the community and we will continue to look at that as we move forward… There were no members of the public using Kindergarten bathrooms at Goodyear while students were present." — Asst. Supt. Gary Reese

I called the school after I dropped off my children that day at the Reeves. They had ONE cop on duty walking around. they said they were doing the best to make sure all voters made a right not a left towards the classrooms, but no one was actually standing there to make sure. I think it is great that the kids learned about voting, and the visit from Scott Brown must have been exciting, and was a priceless experience for the kids that got to see him. I feel if they are going to have voters in the school with our children, when I as a parent have to be buzzed in every other day, they need more security, and more volunteers to keep voters where they should be, and not around the kids.

I am all for election day being a national holiday, closing businesses and schools, but until Congress takes that action, I think the plan Woburn has, which has been in place since I was an elementary school student in town a long time ago, is working just fine. I vote at the White and parking there is tight, especially when I was there when kids were walking to school and buses were arriving. Regarding the safety in lots, I think it would be wise for there to be a designated parking area for voters, such as on street parking only. I think it is great for our students to have the chance to see democracy in action, and the overwhelming turn-out yesterday is impressive to students. I don't believe that the police, the schools or teachers would allow anything to threaten our students and that the system in place is safe. If we can't trust them to have safe voting, separate entrances, not using bathrooms, are you suggesting that we need to cancel all school events such as plays and shows where students are actually seated in the room with strangers? Voting is fine as is. It needs to stay in the neighborhood, and the schools are our best option for exercising democracy in our city.

Really what is the danger? I wish Scott brown visited my kids schools I think it is a great thing for the kids to see I can't believe people complained wow

I agree schools should be closed due to traffic and a lot of people but no danger with Scott brown visiting

@Jennifer- good points.
@Danielle- Thank you for clearing up the bathroom details.

Kids should not be at school when voting takes place. Even though there is one police officer on duty, it doesn't stop anyone from just walking in the school. What about sex offenders that go to a school to vote when children are present?

@PSim...good point!? Aren't registered sex offenders supposed to stay a 100 yds away from the school or something like that...? They certainly have the right to vote...but lost the right to be in an elementary school while children are roaming the halls. Giving the kids the day off from school will avoid ALL of these problems! Burlington, Wilmington and Winchester thought of it beforehand...why didn't Woburn??

Quit being helicopter parents, your children are more likely to be harmed in the car with you than from a voter on election day.

I think the problem is that we allow sex offenders out of jail and we keep our kids in lock down. It is insanity.

Voting is a process that has been in the local neighborhood school for years.

If the overprotective parents are concerned about their children they should keep them home during elections.

Further these same parents should reconsider voting for members of the legislature who let sex offenders and other hardcore criminals out on parole so they can live so close to schools and families they prey on!

I have to say that election day was great. I dropped off my 3 kids at two different elementary schools and then continued on to vote at another elementary school. I went to 3 different elementary schools in the morning and they all had everything under control. As far as people walking around the school that don't belong there, I have seen first hand school officials stop people and ask what they are doing there. They are very serious about school safety. Both of my kids elementary schools protect each and every child. All 3 of my kids enjoyed election day and all that they learned in school. I think the candidates should go to the schools and set up times to talk to the kids and help the kids learn issues. Frankly, parking at schools is a nightmare to begin with, even when its not election day.