Overview: The recent Montgomery County School Board meeting involved discussions on topics ranging from synthetic turf installation to artificial intelligence (AI) implementation in schools. The debate over synthetic turf versus natural grass for school athletic fields emerged as a particularly contentious issue. Teresa Smith, vice president of the PTA at Fairland Elementary School, argued that synthetic turf poses health risks and is less cost-effective than natural grass. She highlighted the environmental and safety concerns, noting that synthetic turf acts as “plastic heat islands” during hot summers and is financially burdensome due to high disposal costs. Smith . . .