Dear YWN,
I read YWN’s heartbreaking article last week about the young girl who tragically lost her life after being forgotten in a hot car. Sadly, this is a story we have all read too many times.
As you noted in your coverage, YWN has unfortunately reported on far too many of these tragedies over the years. Each time, the same painful questions are asked: How could this happen? Could it have been prevented?
As a public school teacher, I would like to point out that there is technology already being used every day that may help prevent such tragedies.
In our school system, teachers are mandated to take attendance within minutes of the start of the school day. If a child is absent, parents immediately receive a notification on their phone informing them that their child is not in school. This happens automatically and in real time.
Imagine if every school utilized a similar system. A parent who unknowingly left a child in a vehicle while rushing to work could receive an alert shortly after school begins that their child never arrived. In some cases, that notification could mean the difference between life and death.
No system is perfect, and no technology can replace vigilance. But if there is even a possibility that immediate attendance notifications could save a single child, it is something worth discussing.
YWN has a tremendous platform and reaches hundreds of thousands of parents, educators, school administrators, and community leaders. Perhaps by raising awareness about attendance notification systems and encouraging schools to adopt them, some good can emerge from these repeated tragedies.
If greater awareness leads to even one child being found in time, it will be worth the effort.
A Concerned Reader
The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.