Safe Passage is a new initiative launched by the Mayor's Office to provide some Baltimore public school students a safer trip home from school. Three schools have been chosen for the pilot program - which launches with less than 2 weeks left in the school year. PEACE spokesperson Yurpizy Morgan joined Fox 45 Morning News to weigh in.
Morgan said she thinks that the mayor's initiative could have come sooner.
"Two weeks is a very short time frame. I think we've been talking about this issue of youth violence since at least January, when school came back into session so it's interesting. I'm glad that he's taking initiative. It feels a little bit late, but I guess we'll see what happens," said Morgan.
She also raised questions about whether the Mayor's Office is effectively allocating money.
"I think it's high time that the mayor takes a step back and realizes the situation so many students in Baltimore City are facing. I mean, think about the devastation that must be going on in our streets and in our schools for there to be the need for actual safe passage involving police officers and all of these other community organizations. Which also begs the question: the mayor has put a lot of money - particularly into Safe Streets, which is supposed to be doing some type of work like this - and we're talking millions and millions of dollars, so is that money actually being sent wisely? Is it being spent appropriately if we still have these types of problems?" said Morgan.