Petition to Open the Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) To Skateboarding as a Sport Students in Pomona, California and all across the nation enjoy skateboarding and many of them would love to be able to skate at school. It would give them something to look forward to come to school for. However, while students all across the nation have been given the privilege to play traditional sports like basketball, baseball, soccer, and football, for as long as schools have been around, skateboarding has been treated like a crime at most schools for the last 30 years. School officials always say that it is too dangerous, and that is simply not true. Statistically, skateboarding is safer than nearly every traditional sport that schools allow. In fact, you are twice as likely to break a bone playing basketball than skateboarding (learn more at www.myspace.com/pomonaboardriders ). So, since basketball is twice as dangerous as skating, and the benefits to skating at school are great. We the signers of this petition recognize that it is time for schools to change their view of skateboarders. We want the schools to stop treating skateboarders as rebels or criminals. We want schools to recognize skateboarders as dedicated athletes. We want the schools to support skateboarding and provide opportunities for skaters to practice and gain skills. We want to skate at school. We are requesting: � That PUSD permit Skateboarding on its campuses. � That PUSD validate the students that already skateboard and encourage those that seek to learn. � That PUSD helps to develop Skateboarding as a School Sport. We are providing: � A no cost athletic enrichment program. � A way to make their school more relevant and engaging. � An incentive for improving academics. We are Giving � A pledge to wear helmets. � A pledge to Skate in areas away from major foot and vehicle traffic. � A pledge to Skate on our own obstacles and not damage or wax the schools benches or ledges.