A group of Sacramento parents is sounding the alarm over a plan to tear out natural grass fields and replace them with artificial turf — a move they say could put kids’ health at risk.
The Sacramento City Unified School District insists the switch at Crocker/Riverside Elementary School is both safe and sustainable, noting that six other elementary schools have already made the change in recent years.
But families aren’t buying it — and they’re not backing down.
“I care about all the kids here, so I think it’s important that they have a healthy environment where they spend most of their time,” Lisa Mar told CBS, whose child attends the school.
Mar launched an online petition that’s already gathered several hundred signatures in an effort to halt the project, arguing she doesn’t want her child playing on plastic during recess.
“Slow down and rethink it with us, because the community wasn’t consulted, and we really want grass,” added parent Bianca Vargas.
Vargas, whose daughter and niece both attend the school, says her concerns go beyond aesthetics — pointing to heat retention and the loss of natural play space.
“Heat, I would say, is the biggest one. Also just the loss of connection to any natural surface,” said Vargas. “We send our kids here every day. They spend long hours playing outside, and these conditions really matter.”
Parents say they’re also worried about potential chemical exposure tied to synthetic turf.
“All the toxin exposures and the turf will make the air quality worse for kids,” said Mar. “It’s sad that they will be exposed to nothing but artificial surfaces if this project is completed.”
District officials pushed back, saying safety is the top priority and defending the material as a proven option already in use across the district.
“The conversion to artificial turf is not something new or exclusive to Crocker/Riverside Elementary. The product is a safe and sustainable alternative to natural grass and has been installed at six other elementary schools in our district as part of modernization and new construction projects in recent years,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
Still, critics warn kids may be more vulnerable than adults to potential risks.
“They don’t tolerate heat stress as easily as older people can. They are considered a vulnerable population,” Dianne Woelke of Safe Healthy Playing Fields told CBS.
Woelke pointed to concerns ranging from extreme heat to possible exposure to harmful chemicals.
“They are planning on covering essentially every last bit of natural surfacing at this school with plastic,” she said. “Parents need to be aware that there are major health risks playing on the fields beyond the heat itself, which can be extreme.”
The district, however, cited California research showing no significant risk from synthetic turf and argued the school lacks the space to maintain a safe grass field for its roughly 600 students.
Parents also pointed to a recent move by Los Angeles school officials to ban artificial turf at certain campuses.
“The biggest school district in California just voted to ban all artificial turf. It’s the wrong direction,” said Vargas. “I think the tide is turning on plastic. It’s not climate-friendly.”
Even students are weighing in. One sixth grader said the change could push kids indoors.
“It would make me feel like I would want to be indoors more than outdoors, because I would know what’s out there, and I just wouldn’t want to go play on it,” said Alexa. “Children should deserve to play in a natural environment.”
With a key school board vote looming, tensions are rising — and parents are hinting at legal action if the project moves forward.
“They talk green school yards, but what we’re getting is a plastic school yard,” Vargas said.