Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Concerns topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents urge moratorium on new turf, oppose music‑program cuts and flag YouTube in classrooms
Summary
Multiple public commenters asked the board to pause new artificial turf at TK/elementary sites and to remove existing turf from young‑child play areas; other speakers objected to non‑reelection of music teachers and raised concerns about student access to YouTube during class.
A series of public commenters raised three distinct but overlapping concerns: playground surfaces, music‑program staffing, and in‑class access to online video.
On turf and fields, Matt Goldenberg (on behalf of neighborhood organizations), Harry Leshner and Brian Sweeney urged an immediate moratorium on new artificial turf at TK and elementary sites, requested an inventory and independent chemical testing of existing fields, and proposed a joint pilot with the city and college for regenerative natural grass at Franklin. "I ask you to signal your commitment by calling for an immediate moratorium on new artificial turf at TK and elementary school sites," Goldenberg said. Community speakers pressed for replacement of elementary turf and pointed to the NV5 study’s limits on infill testing.
Several commenters also criticized district personnel moves affecting elementary music: a parent urged the board to reconsider the non‑reelection of a fourth‑grade instrumental teacher, calling the teacher "the type of teacher one dreams of having." Another parent said Measure R was intended to sustain music programs and expressed alarm at proposed cuts. Separately, a parent described that her second grader could access numerous YouTube videos in class and asked the board to "please immediately end all student access to YouTube videos and gaming platforms on district issued devices." Superintendent Shelton and COO Carrie Upton acknowledged the concerns; Shelton said staff would look into the YouTube access issue and Upton provided a facilities maintenance update on a separate pool outage reported online.
