From poster-protests to voting, opportunities for young adults to speak up and have their voices heard have grown over the years. One example among high school students is attending school district board meetings. During these meetings, students meet with district officials to voice their views on different issues within the community.
Senior Nico Fischer, chair of the Santa Clara County’s Youth Commission and a regular attendee of SCUSD board meetings explained why attending them can be important for students.
“We are students and more so, we’re all part of this community,” Fischer said. “The board members are part of the Santa Clara Unified community, the students are, the families are, even our neighbors are, (and) local businesses as well. Because of that, I think it’s important that we actually get a say in what goes on.”
Similarly, MacDonald High School senior Ovyanah Sample discussed how combined student and teacher efforts to represent their schools on a district scale can create an impact.
“Attending these meetings is vital for both students and teachers because it creates a united front. Often, teachers and students are the ones most affected by district decisions, yet we are sometimes the last ones consulted,” Sample said. “When we both show up, it stops being a ‘student issue’ or a ‘teacher issue’ and becomes a community issue.”
Many students wonder whether or not their efforts to show up and express their opinions actually influence the board’s decisions. Social science teacher Emily Haven recalled a time she saw student involvement have an impact on a district-wide issue.
“This year, with the pink slip and layoff process for right sizing, there was supposed to be a lot more teachers that were laid off than are being,” Haven said. “The reason there are fewer teachers being laid off is because people showed up at board meetings and spoke up.”
Building on Haven’s statement, senior Luke Bettencourt noted how showing up and sharing simple thoughts can be enough for the SCUSD officials to consider making changes.
“Each student provided their own perspective on different aspects of the district,” Bettencourt said. “(That) helps the district get a better understanding of what student life is like, and then how to actually integrate curriculums and programs that will benefit the students.”
While some students see student activism as a way for them to speak up for their rights, others view it as a way to keep updated on the modifications within the district. Freshman Niya Udinoor feels she has benefited from attending the SCUSD meetings, especially in terms of keeping up with changes.
“(Attending board meetings) is important to me specifically because it helps keep me on track of what’s going on in my district, and it allows me to tell my peers what’s happening as well,” Udinoor said. “I also get to say my perspective of how the new changes will impact the students.”
Participating in district meetings provides an opportunity for many to communicate their issues to the board, and Sample highly encourages students to participate.
“If I could say one thing to a student considering getting involved, it would be this: Just show up,” Sample said. “Leadership . . . is about pouring into your community in whatever way you can, whether that’s starting a small club, attending a board meeting just to listen or simply speaking up for a friend, those small actions are what build a legacy.”