lower voting age for school board elections

[OzzyKP]

Ask POTM to check out http://www.youthrights.org It'd be cool if she, and you, and whoever, wanted to start a NYRA chapter to work on getting students a vote in school board elections. That's what we're here for.

[DinoDoc]

Perhaps you could answer my question, Ozzy.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by OzzyKP
Ask POTM to check out http://www.youthrights.org It'd be cool if she, and you, and whoever, wanted to start a NYRA chapter to work on getting students a vote in school board elections. That's what we're here for.

arent we too moderate for you guys? POTM isnt asking for a vote in general elections.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Why should only HS kids get to vote on how district money is spent if we go down that route? Why shouldn't elementary or even as you mentioned kindergarden students begiven a voice?

You have to start somewhere.

Students in Sudbury Valley schools as young as 4 are all able to vote on matters that concern the school. They vote on everything whether it is the hiring and firing of staff, the school's insurance policy, rules, etc. Every student and staff member each have one vote. These schools have been around for 30 years now and this democratic approach hasn't led to anarchy.

As LOTM/POTM accurately pointed out, the ignorant students (and the younger students) usually won't vote if it is something they are unfamiliar with.

But there is nothing unbalancing about allowing high school students to vote. I'm sure they'll think of the interests of their younger siblings and the grades they just emerged from far better than most adult voters who haven't been in a classroom in decades.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
arent we too moderate for you guys? POTM isnt asking for a vote in general elections.

A vote for school board elections is actually a rather bold proposal. No where in the country has yet allowed that, so in that sense it is a radical proposal. But NYRA isn't about pushing a radical agenda for radicalism's sake. We want to push this country in a certain direction and support any proposal or reform that moves that way.

Our current President has worked hard over the last year or two to just get a non-voting student member on his school board. This is as tame and moderate a proposal as one could think of, but he has still been stymied at every turn, even with the support of his school's students, teachers, and administration on his side. Plus the local newspapers.

I'd love to see a district allow high school students the vote in school board elections.

[Kuciwalker]

I approve of this

(and LOTM, did you get my PM?)