Board of Ed Gave Students $75,000 to Research Artificial Turf, then Shelved the Report

The Montgomery County Board of Education allocated $75,000 to the MCPS-Student Climate Action Council (SCAC).  

From the SCAC's January 2024 public comment to the Board of Education:  

In our current fiscal year of 2023-2024, we were allocated $75,000 from the Operating Budget. Without delay, the SCAC strategically used this funding to initiate our grants program, establish the climate ambassador program, and start comprehensive policy research. These funds have proven foundational in facilitating our work.

 

The students took their mission seriously.  

They spent 18 months putting together a thoroughly researched Artificial Turfs Report.

What did the Board of Education do with this Report that they paid for?  

Absolutely nothing.  

The Report has never seen the light of day at a Board of Education Business Meeting.  

Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor hasn't mentioned the Report or responded to the SCAC's Recommended Course of Action.  In fact, from Superintendent Taylor's recent MCPS Budget proposals it would appear that Superintendent Taylor couldn't care less about what this MCPS sanctioned and paid for council of students researched and reported.  

The students' full Report is embedded at the end of this post.  But if you don't have time to read the entire Report, take a look at the students' Recommended Course of Action with regard to artificial turf field installations in MCPS.   

And remember how the Board of Education and Superintendent Taylor paid for and then buried this Report the next time you hear the BOE and Taylor applauding the work and advocacy of MCPS students.  

************************

 

Recommended Course of Action 

After months of intensive research, the Student Climate Action Council has concluded that artificial turf fields pose a risk to the safety of students and the environment. However, MCPS’ grass fields have poor drainage, causing slippery, muddy conditions and limiting playability. To address this issue, we strongly recommend that Montgomery County Public Schools take the following action: 

1. Designate the following schools as pilots for state-of-the-art natural grass fields: 

a. Wootton High School 

b. Paint Branch High School 

c. Gaithersburg High School 

2. By May 1, 2025, reach out to the Maryland Soccerplex located in Germantown, MD to consult an expert opinion on how to support successful natural grass at a reasonable cost efficiently. 

3. By August 1, 2025, create a comprehensive budget for installing and maintaining high-quality natural grass fields at the above locations. Publish the proposed budget to the MCPS website for a 30-day feedback period. 

4. Include the cost of the pilot fields in the 2026-2027 Capital Improvement Plan. 

5. Include the cost of maintaining the fields in the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year Operating Budget. 

6. Continually evaluate the options for new MCPS fields as the need arises to ensure that the healthiest, safest option is always chosen. 

7. Monitor the quality of MCPS fields by sending a survey to all MCPS high school students every two years, beginning in Fall 2025, with these questions. 

8. Review current MCPS Board of Education policy that favors artificial turf fields over natural grass fields for all high school facilities.  

9. Continue to consider the ideas, conclusions, and input of the Student Climate Action Council in important decisions regarding the use of artificial turf and natural grass in MCPS. 

MCPS Student Climate Action Council Artificial Turfs Report by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland