Schools have always been a center for activism and protest. Young people gather and come together to make their voices heard when they are usually ignored. Protests against school boards, principals, superintendents and districts as a whole are an all too common event. This begs the question: why does this occur so often? Well, the answer is obvious—students do not have a say in the decisions affecting them.
Despite students being the individuals affected by the policy decisions made, students are rarely given a voice in those decisions. Decisions about grading policies, school start times, testing and discipline are all made behind closed doors without students at the table, let alone making decisions. While some districts have student councils, the influence they have doesn’t necessarily extend beyond planning events. This lack of representation leaves students feeling unheard and frustrated, leading to the very protest and activism that schools frequently try to suppress.
Putting the ethics of including those impacted by decisions aside, including students in the decision-making process isn’t just about fairness; it leads to better policies. Students experience the daily realities of the policies, giving them a unique insight into decision-making. For example, kids at Anoka-Hennepin responded in protest at school board members threatening to stall the budget over curriculum that would have cut diversity initiatives in the school. The hundreds of students with their numbers, making their voices heard, eventually got the members to back down from their threats.
Although the story is incredibly inspiring—young people fighting for what they believe and making their voices heard—the truth beneath the story is all too common: young people didn’t have a seat at the table. If students are capable of organizing hundreds of young people, pushing and successfully changing policy from the outside, why aren’t they given a legitimate role in the decision-making process? Schools should create ways for students to have input with policies about them, such as student representation on school boards, advisory committees and voting rights on issues concerning them. Instead of reacting to student voices after, administrators should seek student voices when creating policy that directly impacts them.
Some adults may argue that young people aren’t experienced enough to help shape the policy that directly affects them, but history proves them wrong. Young people have led movements for change, from civil rights to climate protests. If students are trusted to take advanced classes that many adults would struggle with, lead school organizations and even work jobs, why shouldn’t they be in control over their education? In fact, many issues students advocate for, such as better mental health resources, fair discipline policies and inclusive curriculum, align with what research shows improves education. Ignoring their voices doesn’t just silence them; it weakens the education system as a whole.
Although Park has internships, committees and ways for students to express their voice on decisions being made, that voice tends to not have an impact, or be heard after the decision is made. It’s time for schools to start treating students as active stakeholders in their own learning. When students are given a voice, schools and education as a whole become more effective and stronger. The question isn’t just whether students should have a say: it’s why they haven’t in so long. If schools are truly geared towards preparing young people for the future, they must start listening to them.
