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It has been said that an effective way to gauge the morality of a society is how it treats its children. Using that yardstick, Frederick County would be rated a moral degenerate.

In Urbana, (and I have heard in other locations as well) there is a perilous condition for our precious children, a serious school crossing accident waiting to happen, caused by ineptness, apathy, and straight out neglect on the part of those who were elected to serve the needs of the people.

This includes state, county and most especially Board of Education officials who are expert at playing the bureaucratic serenade known as "passing the buck" and neglecting a grave problem.

Specifically, the problem is in order reach Urbana Middle school, students (ages 11-14) must cross Fingerboard Road (Md. Route 80) — a fairly busy highway. It is particularly busy in the morning with drivers heading for Interstate 270.

There is a traffic light there and a crossing lane, but no other safety precautions. There are no crossing guards and no school zone flashing lights warning drivers to show down. If you go there to observe, you will also notice that at this age these children are not always attentive or act responsibly to the traffic signals, and in many instances veer from the crossing lanes and jaywalk across the highway.

This is a formula for disaster and it's only a matter of time before a fatal accident occurs. Now is the time to deal with this grave issue. To stand by and do nothing would be tantamount to criminal neglect.

Cass DeFiore, Urbana