Playground Bark Gets Under Wilson Kids’ Skin Student Leaders Itch For Cushioning Without Slivers

When members of the student council at Wilson Elementary discovered their constituents were beset by slivers, they wrote a letter of complaint.

They told School District 81 Safety Director Joe Madsen that their school’s playground bark is as bad as a bite.

For years, students at Wilson have complained that the beauty bark beneath the school’s playground equipment is a source of slivers, itchy skin and rashes.

Meant to cushion the bump when kids tumble off playground equipment, the little wooden chips sometimes inflict a few injuries of their own.

“You get slivers in you,” said sixth-grader Alex Giese, who brought this year’s crop of splinters to the attention of the student council.

“The slivers get into you and can give you a rash,” said fourth-grader Bonnie Blalock, bending her arm and pointing to her elbow. “I got one right here.” said the student council spirit officer.

The bark also clings to clothing, making it difficult for wash-day parents to get the redwood out.

The children’s complaints aren’t new, but past principals told students that “beauty bark is a district policy,” said Marty Arneson, student council adviser.

This year, however, Janet Gores, Wilson’s new principal, told Arneson to find out if there is an approved alternative to beauty bark.

“It was nice to know we had the support of the principal,” Arneson said.

Arneson asked student council members if they were willing to draft a letter to Madsen explaining the disadvantages of beauty bark.

The decision to do so was unanimous, said sixth-grader Jared Wigert, student council president.

The letter also included a suggested alternative - shredded tires.

“My friend, she went to a different school for her brother’s soccer game, and they had shredded-up tires on the playground,” said sixth-grader Holly Amend, student council secretary.

Madsen received the letter in January and sent Wilson students a reply in February.

Madsen said that, at least for now, the beauty bark will stay. He said the school district tested and reviewed several materials - a sand and sawdust mixture, pea gravel and shredded tires.

The sand and sawdust deteriorates in freezing temperatures, Madsen said. Pea gravel freezes and turns rock hard. And though shredded tires make for a soft landing, they are highly flammable and a potential environmental hazard.

“Any time you have a petroleum product, it can leach into the soil,” Madsen explained.

“We felt bark was the best product. We looked at what was available and what provides the best cushion for the dollars.” he said.

But what about beauty bark’s irritating properties?

“Broken arms or slivers? I guess I’d have to put it in perspective,” Madsen said.

Madsen said he was impressed that the students pursued the matter.

“I get letters from students a couple of times a year. Whether about safety or transportation, I think it’s wonderful that they ask,” he said.

It was up to fifth-grader Aaron Houghton, the student council vice president, to break the news to the kindergartners, who are more spill-prone than other kids.

“They had their hearts set on the shredded tires,” Aaron said.

The bark will remain. But Arneson said students learned a lesson in how to go about addressing a problem.

“It doesn’t always work when you ask for something, but they learned there is a way to handle things,” Arneson said.

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