The Mars Area School Board made the right decision when it unanimously turned down the subsurface lease from Rex Energy (“Mars school board rejects gas lease,” March 12, page 1).

The parents and residents came together to canvass their neighborhoods and to take a stand for the health and well-being of the students and staff in all the schools. They are advocating for a 2 mile drill-free zone around all schools.

Unfortunately, that request fell on deaf ears at Rex Energy. A company spokesperson said it will continue with the plan to drill one-half mile from the schools.

If Rex Energy was truly the good neighbor it claims to be, the safety of our children would be their concern as well. Putting an industrial drilling site that deals with highly explosive gases and toxic chemicals near a school is not the neighborly thing to do.