Frustration filled the auditorium Tuesday night at Crocker/Riverside Elementary School, where Sacramento City Unified School District officials faced dozens of parents, residents and students concerned about a plan to replace the school’s grass field with synthetic turf.
Chris Ralston, the district’s assistant superintendent of facilities, walked the residents through renderings and timelines related to the playground project — but the presentation was quickly followed by sharp questions about what up to 27,000 square feet of artificial grass could mean for the hundreds of children who play on it every day.
“I watched the board meeting last week, I don’t hear any discussion of the impact to the environment or a kid’s health and safety in this discussion. I don’t hear that presented to the board,” Nathan Jacobsen, a parent of two kids at the school said during the meeting…