School safety is paramount

The past week included a couple of mildly harrowing safety incidents at local schools. On Tuesday in Sandusky, a school janitor at Sandusky Intermediate School, who police believe was working under the influence of too much cough medicine, began swearing and acting erratically before attempting to access a classroom. The teacher blocked the door and prevented him from entering, and after the janitor allegedly assaulted a school administrator, he was quickly restrained and arrested by the school's resource officer. The janitor is suspended from his job and facing felony criminal charges. And in Norwalk, a nude man entered the League Street school on Thursday. Apparently, the camera at the front entrance of the building did not fully show his body, and staff didn't realize he didn't have clothes on until he had already walked into the front desk area. At that point, staff quickly stepped in and prevented him from entering the building proper. Police, who apparently had already unsuccessfully attempted to stop him shortly beforehand, then caught up to him and placed the man — apparently having a mental health crisis — in custody. Both instances resulted in brief school lockdowns while the issues were resolved by school staff and law enforcement. It's a reminder of the potential dangers faced by schools every day and highlights the protocols implemented to protect students and staff, and also a reminder to school staff to always remain vigilant. Look out for motorcycles Time for your annual reminder to respect motorcyclists on the road. Obviously, with this week being Ohio Bike Week, there's going to be an influx of bikers on the road. Respect given is respect earned, as they say, and automobile drivers must respect motorcyclists and vice versa. We, of course, want bikers to drive carefully on the roads, too, but the danger and potential injury in a bike-versus-automobile crash is heavily skewed toward the biker, as we've unfortunately seen on a number of occasions. So take the time, give extra car lengths between you and a motorcycle in front of you and take caution on your travels. Happy Thursday, Sandusky We always catch a glimpse of the bicycle riders who participate in the annual Happy Thursday cruiser rides that take place during the summer months, usually as the large crowd of participants gathers in Washington Park before they set off on their journey. It's a great way of community building and promoting healthy exercise. With the crowd also shouting "Happy Thursday" to those they pass, it's also a great way to spread a little positivity. We could certainly do with more of that. Editorial board