Some groups agree with the broader goal to mitigate heat at schools but say the bill still misses the mark. Ian Padilla of the California Coalition for Adequate School Housing, which advocates for state bonds to help update school facilities, said implementing the legislation would cost too much and overlaps with some existing standards set by the state to plant shade trees outside buildings.
Another flaw in the bill is the inclusion of wood chips as a possible alternative to things like rubber, Padilla said. Schools have in recent years moved away from wood chips because they could cause injuries to students when they fall down, he said. It’s essential that schools “that don’t necessarily have the resources” or “community backing to do this, get it,” Hildebrand said.
She said she filed a negligence complaint with the state over the incident, which resulted in a settlement in which her son was placed at a different school. Tompkins said she could not name the school district because she signed a non-disclosure agreement as part of the settlement.