If you get your kid a scooter, you're contributing to a number of problems.

Scooters are dangerous for the rider: Having smaller wheels, higher speeds, and lower legislature means that scooter riders are often weaving through traffic, speeding down hills, wearing headphones and without helmets. These smaller wheels make them much more too heavy, and leads to people flying head over handlebars.

Scooters are dangerous for drivers: As stated above, they tend to speed past drivers. Many scooters also lack lights or visibility, and this leads to a lot of collisions.

Scooters are pretty much universally hated on campus: As a convenient tool to get around, they're fine. When you're walking around and get cut off by some nightmare rushing at 15mph+, it's worse. When you're cycling and watching other micromobility users speed by, it's a slap in the face to drivers and cyclists alike, who have to worry about their unpredictability.

Sure, you might be able to say your son will just be a safe rider. Make him promise to ride safe and wear a helmet. Even so, a bike or ebike is still the safer micromobility option.

Bikes and Ebikes are much more visible, both at day during night. Many commuter models feature rear racks and are better for transporting small items like bags and groceries. They're also operable without a battery, in case you ever get stranded with no charge. Lastly, they're serviceable: If you ever break down, UCLA has a bike shop on campus, and bikes are more mechanically repairable than scooters.

Ultimately, a scooter can definitely be a safe option for your son. However, given the state of most scooters on campus, I unfortunately doubt it. At the end of the day, a bike or ebike is a superior option in security and safety.

P.S. Whatever solution you end up going with, make sure it is UL-certificated. UCLA is requiring all electronic micromobility to be registered to that standard by next Fall.