Regardless, the goal of reduced speed in a school zone is to protect unaware children/increased slow traffic, so prior to any activities going on it shouldn't matter. The other options are however that it was a construction Zone, which would require signs, or they wanted people to get used to slowing down around that area, which would certainly require signs since they obviously wouldn't rely on the inference of every driver... More concisely, if there weren't signs OP shouldn't be subject to punishment.

@ 1 they were invisible.

Well I was brought up that no matter what you don't go near the road without an adult. So the unaware kids statement should honestly fall back on the parents.

And?

#9 In Oregon they removed the "when children present" and changed it to a set start and end time.

Discourage the behavior before it starts...

@ 35 What about high schools? Should parents have to be present then too?

Just because there's no sign posted, doesn't mean there's no speed limit. Here, most cities have a sign that says the speed limit is x unless otherwise posted. That way, even if there is no sign, you can't go a ridiculous speed and use that as an excuse

55- yes, but school's usually have reduced speed limit signs because of the unaware children. My school has signs that limit the speed to 20 mph. The signs have lights and are only active when the lights are flashing (during school days and hours)

Most officers I know are reasonable and respectable. The few who aren't ruin the reputation of the rest, similar to the idiots who ruin it for those who have some small amount of common sense.

Yeah, same here too. Most are decent folks, as long as you behave...

You can actually go to court and argue it, depending on weather signs were up yet OP could get out of it

*whether well that depends on the OP

@5 last time I was told that, I hit the city with 15 pages of discovery and asked for a change of venue to the county court. They dropped the charge.

Yes. It's called "Prayer for Judgment Continued" (PJC). It's usually the first thing out of my mouth when I'm in court.

Police are State funded, not Federal.

I learned something today

42 - Some police do get federal funding.

Yeah, federal departments like the FBI and DEA who don't issue traffic citations.

Which kids? The ones who aren't there?

I just mentally punched you in the face. #11

Hey, your mental punch really hurts:) My little brother sustained a head injury in his second grade while getting into his school. The car driver blamed the city council, because weeks ago there was no active school. Just a building. He didn't even apologize.

better safe than sorry

Shhhhh! The muggles might hear you!