Dear Friends,
With the start of the school year nearly upon us and fall sports and practices underway, it is a good time to address the future of our athletic fields and why we continue to invest in plastic artificial turf rather than natural grass. This question is also before the school board, making it timely to discuss youth health and safety.
Even NFL players are questioning the use of synthetic fields after many artificial turf fields at their stadiums were replaced with natural grass for the World Cup, only to revert to artificial fields for the football season. When elite athletes with millions of dollars at stake in their own health are asking for natural turf, I think it’s a question we need to address as well.
Earlier this year for the Capital Improvements Project budget request from Montgomery County Public Schools, I recommended to the Council that funds be used for natural grass fields rather than artificial turf. The Council’s Education and Culture committee agreed with me that natural grass should be prioritized, but the Council as a whole decided to leave the decision to the Board of Education (BOE).
Many students testified[DS1] earlier this week, urging the BOE to commit to grass rather than plastic fields. They talked about their own experiences as student athletes[DS2] as well as the negative environmental impacts of installing plastic fields. Representatives from the Sierra Club and other organizations also urged the BOE to protect athletes and the environment by choosing well designed and maintained grass fields.
We should not be installing plastic fields for a multitude of reasons.
First, plastic fields are more expensive than natural grass. The chart below from a 2025 Montclair State University study on artificial vs. natural grass fields shows that natural grass is cheaper over time. By 2050, the cumulative costs of artificial turf fields are 50% higher.
You can also watch [DS3] a recent presentation here about the higher cost of plastic fields. This is part of a webinar hosted by Montgomery County Council of PTA (MCCPTA) and Real Grass for Healthy Kids coalition.
We also cannot ignore the growing concerns regarding PFAS “forever chemicals” and microplastics associated with synthetic turf. Maryland has already begun enacting laws to track synthetic turf disposal and restrict PFAS in surfaces because the risks are real.
Additionally, synthetic turf raises serious questions about stormwater challenges and the introduction of non-biodegradable materials into our ecosystem.
The heat plastic fields produce is another concern. Synthetic turf fields get dangerously hot. They contribute to the heat island effect in ways that directly affect our kids and the quality of life in our denser neighborhoods. This point is especially relevant now as we begin to see practices ramp up for fall sports while we’re still dealing with the summer heat.
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During my weekly media briefing, I was joined by representatives from the MCCPTA, the student group EcoMoco, and a grass field expert from the University of Maryland. The student representative is also a varsity soccer player, and she talked about the heat[DS4] and other problems with[DS5] plastic fields.
Sadly, we all remember the tragedy of University of Maryland football player Jordan McNair, who died from heatstroke in May of 2018 during a warm, humid spring football practice on artificial turf.
We are in a climate crisis; our days are getting hotter year by year, including in late spring and early fall. We must be consistent in our policies.
We don’t have to use plastic fields. Natural grass fields can perform well as long as they are well-designed and maintained.
I urge you to watch the recent webinar [DS6] hosted by the MCCPTA and the Real Grass for Healthy Kids coalition, an excellent presentation about how grass fields can and do work. You can watch that presentation here.
The advocates also shared an important letter from the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment, which is funded by the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry and the EPA. The letter lays out many of the concerns and concludes:
“Given the health risks of artificial turf are greater than a natural grass playing fields, from a health perspective, it is best to take a precautionary approach to reduce health risk to the students and use grass turf.”
We do not have to accept plastic fields that are hot, expensive, and bad for the environment. Natural grass fields that are well-designed and maintained are a better solution.
I urge you to watch my media briefing, our conversation, and the media coverage that followed [DS7] as we continue to urge the school board to take these concerns seriously and act in the best interests of Montgomery County families.
Trump Attempts to Weaken Head Start
The Trump administration wants to make widespread changes to the Head Start program – and it shouldn’t be a surprise that these decisions completely disregard the welfare of children most in need. They are another attack by this administration on the poor and working class.
This week, I joined County Council President Natali Fani-González and the Community Action Board in making a public statement against the proposal.
Head Start has been changing lives in Montgomery County for more than 60 years, giving kids a real shot at showing up to kindergarten ready to learn. These proposed changes don’t cut red tape; they cut into what makes the program work: qualified teachers, high-quality early learning, and a voice for parents.
Here are some of the changes I object to:
- Reducing instructional hours. This proposal would revert classroom hours to the minimums set in 1994. That undermines school readiness and makes it difficult for working families to participate.
- Easing staffing requirements. New regulations would reduce the ratio requirements and remove the qualification standards. That compromises classroom safety and takes our teaching opportunities backward.
- Deemphasizing bilingual instruction. This is a “deregulation” rule that adds a new one-size-fits-all federal mandate. Local programs, not Washington, know what language model works for their families. Our community includes families who speak many languages, and bilingualism supports cognitive development. Cutting dual-language support harms children and disconnects families from their culture and education, makes our youth less competitive in a global workforce, and removes parent choice.
- Restricting parental powers. Parent committees shape Head Start locally. Under the proposal, they would become optional and stripped of their decision-making authority. And again, this is from an administration that says it supports parent choice.
- More cost for local governments and taxpayers. The federal government is trying to shirk responsibility for funding early education by capping the administrative costs it will pay at 5%. That undercuts funding for staff training, mental health support for children and staff, and the comprehensive services that some of our families need. Our staff is already overextended, placing unnecessary caps on their ability to function seems like a justifiable way to do less good work in our community, not more.
Each year, Head Start in Montgomery County serves approximately 1,000 children across Montgomery County Public Schools and community-based programs. About 63% of enrolled children come from multilingual households, reflecting the rich diversity of our community. To ensure services reach those who benefit most from comprehensive early learning services and wraparound support, 100% of the infants, toddlers, and preschool children come from homes experiencing economic hardships.
Head Start is a critical program for preparing children to be successful learners. Children not able to participate in early childhood programs often enter elementary school two years behind their classmates and leave kindergarten behind – not for lack of trying, but because so much of brain development occurs before children start school. It is a tall order to bring them up to the level they need to be at, essentially, to fill that gap in just one year. If you look at the research, the gap persists as students move forward.
Brain development is different from learning, and delays can have lifelong impacts. These years are critical for building foundational neural connections critical to the development of reasoning. When you understand how important early learning is, it becomes a no-brainer to embrace programs like Head Start.
Montgomery County stands with Head Start because we stand with children, with families who are the heart of our community, and with the early care educators who make this work possible. This critical work enables parents to pursue employment, education, and stability while their children learn and grow in safe, supportive environments.
Any policy changes must strengthen, not weaken, the foundations that allow our programs to deliver the high-quality care our community depends on.
You can learn more about our local Head Start and Early Head Start program on montgomerycountymd.gov.
Safer Streets for a New School Year
As we start a new school year next week, everyone behind the wheel needs to stay alert and aware of school buses, crossings, and bus stops.
All motorists must stop when a school bus stops to pick up or drop off students. And that means all lanes unless you’re driving on a divided highway. The chart below details your role as a driver. Every Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) bus is equipped with a video camera system that will film and ticket when motorists don’t comply.
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These cameras, along with our other investments, are working. Preliminary 2026 data through July shows that serious and fatal crashes are down 5% when compared to pre-COVID years. However, we are up 13% in serious and fatal crashes from the same time last year, which is very concerning.
We have been busy over the summer making our roads safer:
- We have completed eight spot projects and three sidewalk renovations specifically for the designated walking areas of schools such as Ridgeview Middle, Shriver Elementary, Watkins Mill High, and several others, for a total of 15.
- There’s been a focus on building and improving sidewalks to provide better buffers from fast-moving traffic. That comes in response to community priorities raised by bad crashes and tragic incidents.
- Major construction is also underway on what we’ve identified as high-injury stretches, including Montgomery Village Avenue near Midcounty Highway and New Hampshire Avenue from University Boulevard to Powder Mill Road, to repair curbs, update accessibility ramps, and improve lighting and signals.
We are also addressing speeding. Managed by our police department, we now have 96 mobile and six trailer camera units capable of ticketing people who go well over the speed limit across the County. There are also some fixed-location cameras in place.
The bottom line is that everyone should drive slowly, watch for pedestrians, and avoid texting or other distractions while driving. Our plan for making roads safer continues to evolve, but this County is sadly not immune to children being harmed or killed while going to school. Let’s ensure we have a school year that is safe for every child.
Rabid Beavers and a Local Investigation
Here is something I didn’t think I’d be talking about this summer: rabid beavers. There have now been three beavers that have tested positive for rabies. Two of those animals were linked to attacks at a state park in Thurmont. The other was discovered earlier this week at Seneca Creek State Park, where an incident involving a young person took place the week before.
On Thursday, Aug. 13, a juvenile there for a camp program reported being attacked by a beaver. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. A Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) team investigated but could not immediately locate the beaver. Days later, a beaver was found dead nearby that tested positive for rabies. DNR and health officials are unable to determine if this beaver is the one that attacked. Some sections of the park are closed out of an abundance of caution. No other attacks have been reported.
Beavers aren’t naturally aggressive toward people, and incidents like this are rare. If you see wildlife during the day, that alone isn’t cause for alarm: daytime sightings of nocturnal animals happen. Signs of real concern include an animal that seems disoriented, walks in circles, shows no fear of humans, or is foaming at the mouth.
As always, stay at least 25 yards from an animal in the wild and never approach an animal behaving unusually, even if you want to help it. Report suspicious wildlife behavior to the Maryland DNR Wildlife Hotline (1-877-463-6497) and any possible exposure to the County’s non-emergency line at 301-279-8000. If an attack is in progress or there is an immediate threat to life or safety, residents should call 911.
Summer Ending Events
By now, it should be obvious that many of us are in transition, and that includes our Department of Recreation. Registration for fall activities is now open, and you can browse and get familiar with all your options through the Montgomery County Guide. If you have questions, give them a call at 240-777-6840.
Rec is also winding down the pool hours with closures of our outdoor pools after Labor Day, Sept. 7. You can see the modified schedule below.
Still, there are concerts to enjoy across our community, and this weekend I want to invite you to Montgomery County’s Friendship Picnic, happening on Sunday, Aug. 23.
It will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at Wheaton Regional Park. The event is free, and food is provided along with live music, dancing, and plenty of activities for kids and families.
This is one of those special events that helps us realize why our diverse community is so special. Montgomery County is home to people from across the country and around the world, representing many different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Unfortunately, we continue to see people targeted or made to feel unwelcome because of who they are, where they were born, or how they worship. That’s driven by today’s federal leadership and contrary to the values of this County.
The Friendship Picnic gives us a chance to meet our neighbors, learn about each other, and celebrate the diversity that has made Montgomery County a stronger and more interesting place to live.
I hope to see you there.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
County Executive
Read the original article at mcgov
