SOUTH PASADENA, CA — May 30, 2025 | A growing chorus of parents at Arroyo Vista Elementary School is demanding action from city and school officials to address longstanding pedestrian safety concerns near the campus—specifically at the intersection of Cawston Avenue and Hawthorne Street, where there is currently no crossing guard posted.
The issue, parents say, is not new. Despite repeated calls and formal emails to the City Council, the South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD), and the City Manager’s Office, no additional guard has been assigned. Currently, only two crossing guards serve Arroyo Vista, while Marengo Elementary reportedly has up to seven.
“This is not just a request—it’s a safety crisis,” said Dr. Sadie Jefferson, a local parent who has spearheaded multiple communications to city and district officials. “A car ran a stop sign and nearly hit my children. That’s how serious it’s become.”
Emails obtained by The South Pasadenan News show that parents have raised the alarm multiple times over the past several months. John Jefferson, another Arroyo Vista parent, emphasized the disparity in resources: “Marengo Elementary is served by at least seven crossing guards—from Garfield Park to Huntington Drive. What progress has been made to get Arroyo Vista a third crossing guard?”
The intersection in question—Cawston and Hawthorne—serves as a major pedestrian route for Arroyo Vista students. It is not currently staffed by any crossing guard, though parents report high volumes of vehicle traffic, unsafe turns, and near-miss incidents during peak drop-off and pickup times.
In response to earlier concerns, Interim City Manager Sean Joyce noted in March that the city would increase patrols and deploy traffic enforcement officers in the area. Digital message boards and signage were also placed temporarily to calm traffic. However, no permanent staffing solution has been implemented.
Mayor Janet Braun responded to the concerns by stating that safety remains a top city priority and that city staff would look into the matter. Yet, as of publication, no additional crossing guard has been assigned to the Cawston-Hawthorne intersection.
“I recall Chief Art Miller studying this issue years ago,” Braun wrote in March. “I’ll ask the City Manager to revisit it.”
Parents say that’s not enough. They want action—not further studies or temporary signage.
The disparity between crossing guard assignments across schools is also raising questions of equity.
“All kids deserve to be safe—not just those at one school over another,” said Jefferson. “This isn’t about convenience. It’s about basic protection for children who walk to school.”
As of this week, parents are urging the newly appointed SPUSD superintendent and city leadership to revisit the matter with urgency and transparency. Community members say they’re willing to collaborate but are growing frustrated with what feels like bureaucratic stalling.
The South Pasadenan will continue to follow this developing story and seek formal responses from both city and school district officials.
Parents and concerned residents can contact the City Manager’s Office at [email protected] or SPUSD Board Members at [email protected].
