To the editor,
It was troubling to read about Meagan Taylor’s resignation from the School Committee, as she appeared to be a voice of reason in the Committee’s deliberations (thank you Meagan for your service). As there is now a need to fill the vacancy that her departure leaves on the Committee, I would like to put forward a proposition to the community — that the seat should be filled by a student representative.
Many school committees around the state, including Marblehead, have non-voting student liaisons to the school committee, but their influence on the policymaking process is limited without a vote. There is legislation pending on Beacon Hill (that I strongly support) that would require voting student seats on school committees across the state. I myself served as a voting student representative on the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees (in the 1990s), elected by my peers to serve as their advocate and voice.
Students in our community have raised valid concerns about their voices not being heard by members of our School Committee. This vacancy is a terrific opportunity to rectify that by giving students a voice, and a vote, on the decisions that impact them more than any other segment of our community. Based on what I read about their recent protest of the School Committee, we clearly have articulate and effective student leaders in our town who would represent their fellow students well on the Committee. As students are in the classroom every day, their unique perspective will improve the ability of the district to adjust to the realities experienced by students and meet their needs.
I hope that one or more students will apply to fill the vacancy on the Committee, and would urge both the Board of Selectman and School Committee to choose a student to fill this seat. Better yet, how about we let the students decide on their voting representative through an election in our schools, which will also serve as a learning opportunity about the importance of living in a democracy and the electoral process? Let’s take advantage of this opportunity to give our students a meaningful voice.
Angus McQuilken
Ticehurst Lane
