Prince George’s school board could curb student member’s role (Bowie: appointed, daycare)

[justtitans]

Gazette.Net: Prince George’s school board could curb student member’s role

The Prince George’s County school board could move to limit the role of its student member in executive session meetings and discussions on issues such as budgets and personnel.


The policy change, now in draft form, would require the board’s nine elected members to invite, by a majority vote, the student board member to attend any executive session meeting and would bar the student member from participating in discussions on topics on which he or she cannot vote, such as capital and operating budgets and collective bargaining agreements, said school board member Edward Burroughs III (Dist. 8).

The board’s executive sessions often include discussion of sensitive subjects in which it may not be appropriate for the student board member to participate, Jacobs said, citing possible cases of pornography use by a staff member or the discipline of a classmate of the student member.

Some, including Burroughs, said the timing of the proposal — five months before Ahmed’s older sister, college student Raaheela Ahmed of Bowie, challenges Jacobs for the District 5 seat — gives the appearance that the change is politically motivated.


But Jacobs said there’s no connection, saying the board has been discussing guidelines for the student member since 2006, and the proposal coincides with the end of the student member term on June 30.

Hmmm.. I don't think it's any coincidence at all. She got her butt handed to her and now she feels threatened. The timing of this makes it very questionable. And the excuse of possible cases of pornography or discipline of classmates is laughable. The reality is they really don't want them involved in some of the most important decision they have to make because they realize how much of a movement these young people have going on. I applaud them for stepping up and hope these adults grow up and stop trying to discourage student involvement in important school system matters.

[UrbanScholar]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

Gazette.Net: Prince George’s school board could curb student member’s role








Hmmm.. I don't think it's any coincidence at all. She got her butt handed to her and now she feels threatened. The timing of this makes it very questionable. And the excuse of possible cases of pornography or discipline of classmates is laughable. The reality is they really don't want them involved in some of the most important decision they have to make because they realize how much of a movement these young people have going on. I applaud them for stepping up and hope these adults grow up and stop trying to discourage student involvement in important school system matters.

I agree it is rather bogus and further affirms the need to change the status quo since it is evident that it has not been working.

[bowian]

Too bad the emphasis hasn't been on damage control instead of power control. Why does it seem like the only time the school board appeared serious about its mission was when it was appointed as opposed to elected?

[North Beach Person]

Not to be oppositional, but as an employee of the school system it would cause me some heartburn for a student/non-adult to be voting on my employment status if I was in line to be fired. The same if it was my kid being up for expulsion.

Bowian, even the appointed Board members had empire builders. Also don't forget they gave us Hornsby and Deasy.

[selhars]

This sounds soooo politically motivated.

Does just the board itself get to vote on this change? Or must it be approved by someone else?
I suggest people who do NOT want this change get busy.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Not to be oppositional, but as an employee of the school system it would cause me some heartburn for a student/non-adult to be voting on my employment status if I was in line to be fired. The same if it was my kid being up for expulsion.

Bowian, even the appointed Board members had empire builders. Also don't forget they gave us Hornsby and Deasy.

But what's the point of holding this position if they aren't going to be allowed to have some influence. Shouldn't the interest of the students be considered when making these type of decisions? After all, they are affected more than anyone else. If you can find a mature, responsible student representative to represent the student perspective and the student population, it may give greater input on what can be done. I just think these adults look at these children like they are stupid and don't know the ends and outs of what's going on. These students may lack experience, but not necessarily intelligence. If you don't think student board members have the capacity to handle situations like this, you might as well not even have the position.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

But what's the point of holding this position if they aren't going to be allowed to have some influence. Shouldn't the interest of the students be considered when making these type of decisions? After all, they are affected more than anyone else. If you can find a mature, responsible student representative to represent the student perspective and the student population, it may give greater input on what can be done. I just think these adults look at these children like they are stupid and don't know the ends and outs of what's going on. These students may lack experience, but not necessarily intelligence. If you don't think student board members have the capacity to handle situations like this, you might as well not even have the position.

They are allowed to vote on code of conduct revisions, adoption, student impact things like that, etc. The expulsion piece is a legal thing, as is employee termination, so that is what's driving my opinion there. Both those types of decisions are appealable in the Court system. The guidelines for the student Board member are promulagated by MSDE, not by any County's School Board. Student members in all the Counties follow the same rules.

I also do agree it's likely political at this point. Just like the Board recently censuring Burroughs for visiting a school without Hite's permission. That censure was upheld by MSDE, by the way.

[bowian]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

I also do agree it's likely political at this point. Just like the Board recently censuring Burroughs for visiting a school without Hite's permission. That censure was upheld by MSDE, by the way.

Yep, ITA here. The BOE needs to think about how this latest effort makes the board look. I mean, there are already young people/students beating out the "more seasoned" incumbents. But do they listen to the voters? No, they just try to jockey for position and power-grab.

[cool rob]

Maybe I'm the odd man out here, but I don't want a 19 year old cutting my grass or fixing my burger, let alone making decisons that could impact my childs future-

What am I missing? The kid is 19, so no he should have not any say on matters outside of the realm of a 19 year old. Mature or not, things looked much diffrently to me @ 19 living in a dormitory or moms couch then they do now @ 35 supporting a household working and paying daycare, etc

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by cool rob

Maybe I'm the odd man out here, but I don't want a 19 year old cutting my grass or fixing my burger, let alone making decisons that could impact my childs future-

What am I missing? The kid is 19, so no he should have not any say on matters outside of the realm of a 19 year old. Mature or not, things looked much diffrently to me @ 19 living in a dormitory or moms couch then they do now @ 35 supporting a household working and paying daycare, etc

I can see your point, but don't 19 year olds risk their lives to make sure that our country is safe and protect our freedom? If we really don't think 19 year olds can handle important tasks, then we need to raise the age that these kids are eligible for the military too. Also who is better equip to understand the issues that go on in the school system than those who most recently experienced them? The problem I have with some of the older board members is many of them seem out of touch with what education has become. Going to school now is much different than what it was 20 years ago, are these individuals really capable of understanding that especially if they haven't sat in a classroom as a student in so long?

I think balance is good. I wouldn't recommend the Board to be filled with nothing but young people, but to me one or two definitely help bring a different perspective. If you can have board members that were recently students, some who have been teachers, some who may have been parents and some who may have been administrators, then I think you have a very balanced perspective.

The major issue is similar to the situation that NBP eluded to, you have group of corrupt individuals who really don't have the best interest of the school system at heart. In that particular situation, you had an issue at a school that parents of that particular district wanted addressed, the board member of that district ignored those requests to resolve these issues for months and then the parents decided to go to a board member who they knew who would address it, Burroughs. What does that say about the school board, when people perceive a 19 year old to be more effective than an adult who represents their district? Also what does it say when the chair of the school board was beaten out by a college student in the primary election?