Legislation would give School Board?s student member partial voting rights

“Students are the largest stakeholders on our Board of Education, and for them to have a legitimate voice is important,” said Wossen Ayele, student member of the county School Board. “Having a binding vote would make the student?s voice thatmuch stronger.”

Currently, the student member only has an opinion vote.

Del. Liz Bobok, D-District 12B, plans to push a bill outlining the qualifications and limits of the student member.

In August, the School Board approved the proposed legislation, and Wossen said there was a “pretty good chance of it getting through” the General Assembly.

School Board Chairwoman Diane Mikulis said this is an issue the board has worked on for at least a year, and members previously thought there needed to be more discussion on the terms of the voting privileges, outlining the limits.

According to the proposed bill, the student member would be able to vote on all matters, except:

>> attendance areas

>> site acquisition, condemnation and consolidation and school construction matters

>> employment issues

>> superintendent appointment and salary

>> staff appointment and promotion

>> collective bargaining

>> student suspension and expulsion

At this time, it wouldn?t be appropriate for students to weigh in on these areas, said School Board member Frank Aquino, who supports the legislation. “Things may change; we may get more comfortable with the idea.”

The limits make sense, Mikulis said, and the student member will still be able to weigh in on policies particularly relevant to students.

“It makes the student member a more valuable member of the board,” she said.

Some critics were concerned about giving a student member voting rights, since the member was not elected by the county population, but by the students.

However, School Board member Ellen Flynn Giles said the role was similar to other county board members who are appointed and have voting rights.

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