Should Students Vote for School Board Directors?

I see at Publicola a story about student voting. Based on a push from a group of SPS students, Senator Scott White (D-46) has introduced a bill (SB 5621) that would give students, starting at age 14, the right to vote in school board elections in the district where they live.

“Students having attained the age of fourteen as of the date of the election shall be entitled to vote in school board elections for the district in which they are enrolled and in good standing.”

This bill even has a Facebook page. The student group is called the Campaign to End Education without Representation.

Senator White says this (and it seems to indicate that he isn't really going to push the bill):

"Irrespective of your position on the issue or even if the bill passes, I do think it is impressive that Seattle has young people who are engaged in the political process such that they would come up with a proposal and bring it to a legislator who cares about K-12 education. Kids are always forced to listen to adults, but adults can learn a lot from listening to young people."

A Garfield student said this:

I'm one of the youth from Garfield High School who brought this idea up. Youth are the ones most directly affected by our school system, and yet we currently have very little influence in how it is run. This bill would allow public high school students to vote for their school board members, increasing the accountability of school boards to their students.

Another student said this:

I currently go to high school. Me and my fellow students know more about how our schools are run and what improvements need to be made than most of the public.

Also, for anyone who thinks students aren't mature enough for this right: SPS recently polled kids in Seattle highschools about grading policy, on one of the questions, which asked whether or not the district should increase requirements for graduation, a full 2/3rds of the student body said those requirements should be increased. We want our schools to be more rigorous, and we want to learn. We should have the right to vote in school board elections.

I'd have to ponder whether I think this is a good idea or not but the kids have a point about having a voice.

Comments

Charlie Mas said…
Where I went to high school there was a student representative on the school board. I believe he was a non-voting member.
Kathy said…
I have to ponder this.

Yet, I see a terrific opportunity for a teen board! Our students would have the opportunity to learn about policy, finance, C&I, legislation, civic responsibility etc.

I think this is a great idea!
Maureen said…
I've been very impressed by the Nova students who testified in front of the Board on topics ranging from counting 5th yr graduates and improving school lunches to Family Support Workers during Dec. and Jan.

Maybe there should be a student Board Director who is elected by the students.

Is there a city wide ASB (like there is for PTSA)?
cascade said…
Maybe the kids would pay more attention than their parents do to the quality of candidates and the actions of the directors.

I'm serious. If they were involved, a lot more questions would be asked and a lot more focus directed within classroom and home communities.

WV says "phoneye"...the current level of most voters' civic engagement with board matters.
Kathy said…
Maureen,

I like your thoughts.
Good question, Maureen. I think there loosely is but I don't know how often they get together.
Eric B said…
It wouldn't be hard to set up a caucus system. Each school with grades 9-12 elects a representative to a caucus. The 12-15 members of that caucus select a representative to the Board. (10 Comprehensive high schools + Center + Summit + Middle College + ?)

One possibly problematic outcome is that this would give alt schools and low population schools the same representation and voting power as large comprehensive schools. Of course, the US Senate has operated on this model for centuries!

I like the proposal to allow voting for Directors. If it goes through, my older daughter would be able to vote in the 2012 elections. Also note that Michael Moore got the start to his political career running for School Board at 18.
Anonymous said…
Yay! More votes not to count!

Scoffer
And with all this talk of evaluating teachers and principals, students should definitely be asked to give input. ratemyteacher.com shows that high school students can clearly distinguish between teachers that are good at teaching without being swayed by who is nice/strict or easy/hard. Inspiration is not measured by tests.
SP said…
The WA State Board of Education has two student Board members (without voting rights), but I think the SBE has twice as many members as our Board.

Unfortunately, the students that I have seen on our own site-based committees (at the HS level) have rarely shown up for more than one or two meetings- yes, good for their resume, but not very effective representation.

I see students on the Board as a figurehead position, just like asking parents to be on committees in order to "check the community enagagment" box (and make the Board feel good), knowing that their voice will be in the minority in any real decision.

Perhaps a rotating position, one from each school per month would provide a more representative voice for all the different students & schools we have, rather than just one single voice for a full year (and we might even get better attendance that way!).
Jan said…
I think the watered down "shadow board" or "one student member on the board" ideas are watered down, and will not lead to the kind of input that high school kids want and need. The legislator is right -- we should just let them vote for directors. THEY are the ones trying to get on in life with whatever we provide in terms of education. No one knows better right now what ideas are and are not working in classrooms. No one pays more dearly (in fact, the rest of us don't pay at all) for horrible curriculum alignment decisions, etc. Want to know who knows and cares most about however many there are burned out ineffective teachers with lots of tenure there are staking out positions in various classrooms? The kids who have to furiously try to torque their schedules to avoid them.

I LOVE this idea. I am afraid it won't pass -- but I love it.
peonypower said…
Great idea. The one group that is not being consulted in education is the actual students and they should have a voice.
SP said…
Students voting for School Board Directors is about as indirect of a voice as having a student shout in a hurricane and ask your deaf gradmother what she heard.

It's a very bizarre set-up- What a lesson in reality for a 14 year old kid. Do you want to vote for Candidate "A" who has been bought out by the rich guys, or the other one who only votes "Yes"? Of course the candidates will say whatever is expected of them and make the students feel that they will have a voice, until it comes time to actually vote on an Board issue.

They will be so disillusioned by the time they get to be 18 they won't even bother to fill out a real ballot.
Maureen said…
Perhaps a rotating position, one from each school per month would provide a more representative voice for all the different students & schools we have

I think SP has a valid point. I am concerned that otherwise the position would end up being filled via a popularity contest or by the kid who cared most about his/her resume. That's why I wondered about a District wide ASB. It seems like that would take some what more commitment.

The problem with a rotating position is that there is no time to learn. I'm thinking we should just give it to whoever Nova elects. Those kids seem to be paying attention!
dan dempsey said…
Is anyone worried that the students will be likely to elect directors that are NOT of the same quality as recent directors?

Some believe that the students could not possibly do any worse than what came out of the 2007 elections..

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