# Why no school zones for private schools? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557 "2017-03-06T16:56:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/1 "2017-03-06T16:56:55Z")
I mean, I know there has to be a law or three specifying only public schools get slow zones with flashing lights and 15 MPH limits when lit, but a school is a school, right? [I’m in Florida, if laws are different elsewhere] Down the road from where I live is a private religious high school, and twice each day a cop parks there and directs traffic in and out, since there is no zone at all there… You’d think it would be easier just to put a full school zone in there-maybe the crossing guards are technically public employees and the school would need to hire their own or call in volunteers? ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/2 "2017-03-06T17:18:44Z")
Ohio resident checking in, my town has a private school with a school zone. Perhaps the school in question just wants to pay for the cop? Edit to add, looks like any chartered school in Ohio qualifies for a school zone. Note that in Ohio all schools are charter schools, the charter school movement is called something else. Cite: [Section 4511.21 - Ohio Revised Code | Ohio Laws](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4511.21) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/3 "2017-03-06T18:10:11Z")
There’s probably some requirement that the school themselves request the zone; in Houston, I can think of a couple of religious elementary schools with school zones, but most of the high schools do not have them. (and really… why should a high school need a school zone?) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/4 "2017-03-06T18:15:50Z")
PA has them; AFAIK they are automatically installed and not optional. The exception may be if its walled off from the street; I know of one boarding/“seminary” high school that only has a small “school zone” posted near the front gate. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/5 "2017-03-06T20:35:51Z")
Tennessee resident here. I go through a couple of religious school zones on occasion that come complete with flashing lights. OtOH, there are some pretty rural public schools that merely have a 30mph speed limit between certain posted hours. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/6 "2017-03-06T22:09:24Z")
The cop directing traffic might just be because there’s a lot of traffic there at the start and end of the school day, and even with a school zone, it moves more smoothly when directed. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/7 "2017-03-06T23:55:04Z")
In Louisiana private religious (catholic) schools get public bus transportation, school zones, and crossing guards just like public schools. Non-catholic schools do not generally get those services-usually because they are so small (in my experience)-and not catholic. In many parts of La. the catholic school system is as large or larger than the public schools. All the expenses for these services funnel through the local school boards but are paid by the state government. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/8 "2017-03-07T01:32:15Z")
I just looked around on Google Earth, and the only difference I can see between the markings for public or private schools is whether they’re on a main street or side street. Schools on main streets get marked and controlled school speed zones, schools on side streets just get signs, I guess because the speed limit on side streets is already set low. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/9 "2017-03-07T16:27:44Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > You’d think it would be easier just to put a full school zone in there-maybe the crossing guards are technically public employees and the school would need to hire their own or call in volunteers? I live in Houston, TX. Every school is zoned, whether public or private. I’ve got a church school where the zone starts literally a block away from my house. While school is in session, I go the long way around because it’s faster than fighting my way through the school zone. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-school-zones-for-private-schools/781557/10 "2017-03-10T05:48:26Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > PA has them; AFAIK they are automatically installed and not optional. The exception may be if its walled off from the street; I know of one boarding/“seminary” high school that only has a small “school zone” posted near the front gate. No it isn’t. Where I grew up (Natrona Heights, PA) there are a few public school buildings and the main drag has school zones there. But on the next block over there is a Catholic grade school and high school and the school zone ends right before that section of Freeport Road.