Friday, July 31, 2026

PUSD Removes More Trees at Muir, Continues Remediation Work Across Multiple Campuses

Soil hauling began at Octavia E. Butler as the district issued a six-site status report, with the city’s tree protection ordinance sidelined

Crews removed more trees at John Muir High School Early College Magnet on Thursday, the Pasadena Unified School District said in an email, as it works to finish Eaton Fire soil cleanup before classes resume across the district on August 17.

The vegetation — “several non-protected” trees and shrubs near the A Building, south of the D Building, east of the track and in the interior courtyard — stood in areas where the district says contaminated soil must be excavated.

Some of the trees had been the focus of recent protests, the district noted.

That work is one step in an ongoing controversial remediation program covering 11 district properties, where about 8,000 cubic yards of soil must come out before mid-August. The district said the work is proceeding under the oversight and in collaboration with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and environmental professionals.

“We know the loss of any tree is difficult, and we do not make these decisions lightly,” Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco said. “But our responsibility is to remove contaminated soil and return students to safe, healthy outdoor spaces. Where a tree cannot safely remain while that work is completed, student health and access to their campuses must come first.”

The district said it does not want to remove a single tree unnecessarily and continues to evaluate affected areas site by site and tree by tree. But where trees cannot safely remain while contaminated soil is removed, it said, it must complete the work necessary to protect students and return outdoor areas to safe and productive use.

The District said it respects the right of community members to advocate, gather and protest peacefully in public areas adjacent to district campuses, but noted that entering restricted campus areas or climbing campus trees — some more than 80 feet tall — creates a serious risk of injury, particularly around active remediation areas, equipment and environmental controls.

Just as it would not allow a student to climb a campus tree or enter an active work zone, the district said, it cannot allow that activity as part of a protest, and the safety standard does not change based on who is climbing or why.

Excavated areas will be filled with clean soil and affected landscapes and trees will be replanted, the district said, adding that its goal remains to restore as much safe, green and usable outdoor space as possible for students.

Work continued across other district sites, according to the email.

Crews began hauling contaminated soil from Octavia E. Butler Magnet, and hauling is expected to continue through Tuesday. Washington Elementary STEM Magnet School has been cleared to start replacing excavated soil with clean soil, and district representatives will meet Friday with the Audubon Society and a landscape architect to begin planning restoration of the school’s native garden, using its previous garden plans while accounting for current safety, building and fire requirements.

The Franklin Elementary site has been cleared to begin backfilling next week. No field activity took place at Longfellow Magnet on Thursday.

At San Rafael Elementary School, the district said, the next phase of remediation is awaiting clearance based on soil sampling.

More information is available at pusd.us/restoringourschools.