Students who jaywalk at the University of Delaware may be required to take a “safety” class this upcoming semester.
The university posted, and then deleted, on social media that they are exploring a policy making safety classes mandatory for those caught jaywalking.
“[S]tudents caught jaywalking this fall would be cited and ordered to attend [the] classes,” now-deleted social media posts from the school stated, according to Philly.com.
While most campuses are dealing with larger problems such as hazing, binge-drinking, sexual assault, and an intolerance for free speech, UD Media Relations Manager Peter Bothum called jaywalking an “ongoing source of concern” for the school. But he wouldn’t say anything else about the required classes, saying, “It is too early in the process to discuss specifics of the new policy.”
Three years ago, the police department of Newark, Del., started citing student jaywalkers with $80 penalties after a student was struck and killed by a vehicle. They are now considering even greater punishment for criss-crossing the street illegally.
“No one is going to take it seriously,” said UD senior Daniel Worthington.
The Newark, Del., Police Department, however, finds proper crosswalk use to be a serious matter.
Newark police started to crack down on jaywalkers in 2010.
