Franklin Elementary Students Protest Plans to Replace Natural Grass Field

Franklin Elementary’s campus plan is a multi-phase renovation and modernization effort by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) to improve learning spaces, outdoor areas, and support early education programming on a site that is currently undersized relative to state recommendations for enrollment.

The plan has been developed and updated over several years and includes both new construction and reconfiguration of existing facilities, and includes plans to replace the current grass playing field with a new artificial turf field on a different part of the campus. Construction of the new field will be completed in the summer of 2028.”

Earlier this week, students in grades 2-5 protested the change away from grass, and a parent sent the following summary to Next. Below are signs students drew for the event. – DN

On Monday, February 2nd, a group of approximately 70 Franklin Elementary students participated in a student-led protest against SMMUSD’s decision to replace the school’s natural grass field with artificial turf. Students in grades 2-5 marched around the track during lunch recess with homemade signs, chanting “Save Our Grass!” Due to overlapping recess times, the rally continued until 5th grade recess, where a 5th grader was gathering student signatures for a student petition against the artificial turf. As of the end of the day, 162 Franklin students had signed the petition, with more to come over the next several days.

The protest was organized by a group of second graders, and word quickly spread among students and parents. Students made signs over the weekend and wore green to show solidarity and to send the message that they wanted to keep the field natural.

When confronted by a student who said that the student protest will not change the district’s decision, one of the rallying students replied that many of the kids will not be content unless they know that at least they tried to make a difference. Hopefully, their voices will actually be heard by the adult decision-makers.