Palm Beach County's newest high school, Dr. Joaquín García High School, is making headlines as an abrupt change in plans resulted in the installation of an artificial turf football field, costing nearly $1.4 million. This marks the fourth public high school in the district to have a turf field, but the decision has raised concerns about the bidding process and safety implications. In this blog post, we'll explore the controversy surrounding the artificial turf and its potential impact on students and athletes.

A Rushed Decision?

The change to artificial turf was made just six weeks before the football team's home opener, leading to a deviation from the normal bidding process. Instead of following competitive bidding procedures, the district issued a "change order" to Pirtle Construction, which received nearly $1.4 million for creating the turf field. This decision raised eyebrows among committee members, who were not convinced that the best price was obtained for the project due to time constraints.

Artificial Turf: A Trend Among High Schools

The move towards artificial turf fields is not new, as several high schools in the county have already embraced the change. Advantages cited include lower maintenance and increased field availability throughout the year. Initially, the school board had planned to replace natural sod football fields with turf at all public high schools, but the sudden shift in Dr. García High School's plans caused complications as the construction for the grass field had already commenced.

Safety Concerns Surrounding Artificial Turf

The safety of artificial turf has been a subject of debate among players, coaches, and athletic trainers. A study in Ohio found that athletes were 58% more likely to sustain injuries during workouts on artificial turf compared to natural grass. Additionally, at the professional level, the NFL players' union has found that grass fields are "significantly safer" than turf, particularly concerning non-contact injuries to players' legs, knees, and ankles.

Artificial turf fields also tend to get hotter than natural grass fields, with surface temperatures potentially exceeding 150 degrees due to synthetic infill materials. While district staff argues that games are typically not scheduled during the hottest hours of the day, concerns about heat-related injuries remain.

A Chance to Compete and Drainage Benefits

Despite safety concerns, artificial turf fields offer benefits, including drainage advantages and minimal post-rain muddy messes for athletes. The turf fields have a quicker drying time compared to natural grass, allowing for better gameplay conditions after rain.

EducationLawyers.com

The decision to switch to artificial turf at Dr. Joaquín García High School has sparked debate and criticism due to the bypassing of the competitive bidding process. Safety concerns about artificial turf are also on the radar, particularly when compared to natural grass fields. As the school gears up for its first home football game on September 1, all eyes will be on the newly laid blue turf and its impact on the safety and performance of the athletes.

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