October 8, 2007

Ward, Johnson mostly agree on student input

There ought to be a student advisory board to provide input to the Board of Education, says Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson.
Johnson said his proposal would have the school board “run any and all policy changes” through a new Student Policy Advisory Board.
“This panel would not prohibit the Board of Education from making policy changes,” Johnson said in a recent press release. “It would simply add a valuable student perspective to proposed changes in board policy.”
Johnson and Democrat Art Ward are vying for the chance to take the mayor’s office from retiring Republican Mayor William Stortz in the Nov. 6 municipal election.
Ward said Monday that he could go along with the idea.
“I don’t have any problem with having students sit in on an advisory capacity,” Ward said.
Ward said the school board “has to grasp the realization that all the public needs to be kept informed of the policies and decisions” it makes.
Though Ward added that “sometimes, you just sit there and you create more bureaucracy than may be beneficial,” he said that giving a bigger role to students is worthwhile as long as everyone remembers that school board members are responsible for making the final decisions.
In his press release, Johnson said that hopes his idea will be considered because it “has been far too long since the Board of Education has looked at, and attempted to understand the concerns of today’s students.”
“We’re good a studying statistics, but why not actually ask the students what they think?” Johnson asked.
Johnson said he believes that a non-voting panel made up of elected class presidents from each grade in both of the high schools should provide for student opinion and input to school board members.
“The panel would provide for another viewpoint to the board as well as encourage discussion and debate about changing school policy which directly affects our city’s youth,” Johnson said.
“I think this could be a great learning experience for our student leaders and a great opportunity to encourage youth participation in local government,” Johnson said.
“Since decisions are being made by people who no longer attend our public schools, I would think that the Board of Education would be interested in student input in their effort to make well informed decisions,” Johnson said.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

While I believe the idea has merit,I have some reservations in relation to the student board AUTOMATICALLY consisting of all class presidents.There are class elections the end result of which are due more to popularity than anything else.Having an additional election for the Board will give students an oppurtunity to choose those student leaders truly qualified,then the Board will serve its intended purpose.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Tim. Just elected class presidents is a bad idea. You aren't elected class president for your merits, but for your popularity.

I think that any student that is truly interested should send a letter of interest and then be interviewed for a potential position on the panel. We should be looking for intelligent, out of the box thinkers with the time and maturity to dedicate themselves to this committee.

Anonymous said...

Well, isn't this so sweet.
The politicians are letting the children play government.

Soon the kids will have a greater "advisory role" than their own parents or teachers!

Why not run the "policy changes" past the PTO's for their "advise and consent", first?

I'd have more respect for these politicians if instead they advocated that the parents and teachers should have an "advisory role" for major policy changes - (like the creation of these K8 schools that they are going to get taxed to death to support.)

But that's okay, so long as little Johnny and friends can play.

Priceless.

Anonymous said...

Well the adults have done such a great job????

The students could do not worse!

Anonymous said...

Don't believe anyone was suggesting the parents and teachers should be omitted from the process.Quite to the contrary,they should have a significant role.Only suggesting the students themselves should have some input as well.Afterall,they will be the ones impacted the most in the long run.Shouldn't we at least LISTEN to their input?

P.S.Once again you'll note my remarks are SIGNED.

Anonymous said...

Would be nice (and more relevant) if the enfranchised adults who pay the bills were actually assured a place in the process, rather than their immature dependent offspring.

Would nice if I could read in the newspaper that those seeking the mayorship AGREED that:

1) The parents and teachers and residents should have an "Citizens Review Advisory Committee" to comment on the BOE regarding policy changes prior to adoption.

2) The PTO's should comment and advise

3) The BOE should be an elected
body
(which reflects the situation in all but two municipalities in CT)

4)The public should have the right to vote on all major school spending initiatives - Charter change,ASAP

4) Major policy changes cannot be adopted prior to public hearing and input from the "Citizens Review Panel" and PTO"s

5) There should be term limits

6) In absence of Charter Change - the future mayor shall recommend to the council that the issue of K8\school construction be placed on the ballot for a public vote.

Anonymous said...

much of the need for these discussions are only as a result of the BOE's failure to respect the public with timely information on issues of importance to the community.

Anonymous said...

1st of all to the poster at 2:03 pm: the City Council CANNOT hold avvisory referendums..its a violation of state law.

Secondly its sounds like your an active member of a PTO. If so, than why doesn't your organization sponsor a fourm for the BOE candidates?

Third the only municipality to appoint its BOE memebers is New Haven. Why should it be elected when your BOE candidates are not talking publically? At least if it were appointed the Mayor/Council could be held accountable.

Anonymous said...

Tim,

The role of a class president is much more than what you are giving them credit for. The job consists of an additional 20 hours a week, on top of school, outside activites, and work. Maybe turning to these dedicated individuals is what we are looking for in this advisory board. Commitment, dedication, and common sense is what is needed to stop the liberal destruction of public education. Give the class presidents a chance, maybe they will suprise you.

Anonymous said...

That's baloney, the student class president position is and always has been largely ceremonial. It does not require 20 hours of additional work per week, unless you count making package store runs and hosting weekend parties as official duties.

Usually the class president is either one of the "popular" kids or jocks who is doing it for vanity and ego and padding the transcript.

Anonymous said...

Hartford appoints half the BOE, and elects the other half.
New Haven appoints all BOE members.
Both are distressed municipalities with schools that don't perfom well.

Doesn't the "accountablity" occur when the elections occur?

The BOE, City Council, and council candidates will he held accountable for their positions on schools come election day, I should think ?

The fact that the BOE is not talking doesn't seem like a reason to go to back to an appointed board. In that case, the BOE would have absolutely no incentive to communicate to anybody except to those few who appointed them.

It was my impression that the City Council has the power to vote to place any question on the ballot or can call a special elections; and that the public doesn't necessarily need to collect signatures for a petition to hold a referendum.

Definitely, the PTO's and those organizations that sponsor debates should organize some forums for the BOE candidates. But given their apparent silence, and "command and control attitude", would they come?

Anonymous said...

We're not going to get taxed to death on the schools. Again, the majority of the money is coming from the state. You clearly have no kids in the system otherwise you wouldn't be so narrow minded.

Anonymous said...

NO the Mayor and City Council cannot call a special election..BY state law they cannot hold advisory referendums.

Please get the facts straight