Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District prioritizes student safety and well-being, including a commitment to safe, accessible outdoor learning and play spaces. Physical Education is part of the curriculum and a central component to every student’s educational experience.
While there are several inaccuracies in the article, we are writing to correct two factual points:
First, the statement from Chief Operations Officer Carey Upton was quoted only in part. In fairness to readers, here it is in full:
“To be precise about the legal mechanism: the District did not seek coastal development permits for the two Ocean Park School House projects (the former John Muir Elementary School and the Santa Monica Alternative School House). Instead, it requested and received exemptions under the Coastal Act. The two projects were a water-intrusion repair that expanded into a seismic rebuild of the campus, and a modernization that reconfigured parking and relocated the office and innovation lab. The Coastal Commission granted exemptions for both (attached).
That distinction is the source of the apparent discrepancy. When the projects are exempt, no coastal development permit is issued because the Commission has determined that none was required. A statement that the work was “unpermitted” and the District’s statement that the work was properly authorized are both accurate: there is no permit precisely because the Commission granted exemptions rather than requiring permits. It isn’t that a required permit was missed; it’s that the Commission itself determined a permit wasn’t needed.”
Second, Coastal Commission staff has not contacted the District, its staff, or its construction consultants regarding these projects. The characterization suggesting that Commission staff has approached the District about these projects is not accurate as of this writing.
Los Amigos Park will remain a grass field. The areas in question at Ocean Park School House are a play yard for Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten along with small area in the main quad. The turf under the play yard provides required fall protection.
The Board of Education directed staff to study elementary grass and synthetic turf across multiple factors, including surface temperature, through the 2026–27 school year. That work is underway and is designed to give the Board local data rather than isolated readings on which to base its decisions. We look forward to sharing the findings.
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