LAKE ELSINORE, CA —Six months after a 12-year-old Lake Elsinore middle schooler collapsed during PE and died hours later at a nearby hospital, new legislation has been introduced focusing on extreme weather guidelines for all California schools.
This month, Riverside County Deputy Coroner Myranda Montez described Yahushua Johnson’s official cause of death as resulting from a “coronary artery anomaly” according to a report obtained by the SB Sun. His condition was undiagnosed, and “heat exposure and recent physical exertion” were contributing factors, Montez said. On the day he collapsed, temperatures in the area fell within the realm of extreme, according to the National Weather Service, with triple-digit heat that day.
Senate Bill 1248 was introduced to prevent such events from happening in the future. Its goal is to ensure there are extreme weather condition guidelines for all California school districts. According to sponsors Sen. Melissa Hurtado and Assemblymember Akilah Weber, the first hearing is scheduled for April 3.
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The bill’s sponsors say if passed, it would require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to develop, adopt, and implement a weather policy with protocols for extreme weather conditions. The young boy’s parents are among many who support the bill. His father told the Sun that Yahushua was healthy and had played outdoor sports before, and what happened at the school that day in August stunned the entire family.
New protocols required by the proposed bill would include communicating with parents, staff, and pupils about any changes to outdoor activities due to extreme weather and designating indoor alternative activities to be safely conducted during those conditions.
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The authors have defined “extreme weather” to include unusually severe weather or climate conditions, such as extreme heat, wildfires, excessive rain, and flooding, which could significantly harm the students.
This bill would also expand the definition of “physical activity” to include physical education classes, outdoor sports, athletic practices, and school-sponsored recreational activities.
It is not known if the bill would also impact youth club sports activities, such as football, lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer—many of which have practices on school fields.
On Aug. 29, Yahushua Robinson collapsed on the playground of the Canyon Lake Middle School during PE. According to the coroner’s bureau statement, “he clutched his chest and fell to the ground.” He was pronounced dead at 12:25 p.m. that day at Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta, according to the coroner’s bureau. The boy’s family says his death was brought about by “the sweltering heat.”
“The void Yahushua leaves behind is profound,” a family spokesperson said. “Janee and Eric Robinson and their three other children are trying to come to terms with this devastating reality. The agony of losing a child is indescribable, and as we wait with heavy hearts for the autopsy results, we are reminded of the unpredictability of life.
A GoFundMe for the Yahushua Robinson family remains in effect and has raised over $91,000.
Read also:
Lake Elsinore USD Student Dies After On-Campus Medical Emergency
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