Two students ask for more voting rights on the Washington County Board of Education

The student member of the Washington County Board of Education is appointed to advocate for the rights of all students in the public school system, but they have no vote on any issues.

The current student board member, Tanish Gupta, along with former member Kevin Bokoum, are asking the spot be more than just a ceremonial role.

Gupta and Bokoum, who is also the Maryland State Board of Education student member, together made a presentation to the school board last week.

They are asking that the school board, in its package of legislative priorities and requests to the Maryland General Assembly next year, include a request to amend the Annotated Code of Maryland so that the student member on the county school board has partial voting rights, except in certain circumstances.

"Our proposal is that the student member has voting rights on all matters except those related to the hearings on appeals of special education placements; specified hearings relating to the superintendent; and suspension and expulsion; personnel matters; appointment, salary and evaluation of the county superintendent; collective bargaining decisions; capital and operating budgets; and school closings, openings and boundaries," Gupta said.

He said the student member would be able to vote on code of conduct, curriculum materials, and board of education policy.

Bokoum added that the change is a priority for them as students who have been advocating for it for years. 

Under Maryland law, there is no section stating that the Washington County Board of Education even have a student member.

"We are one of four counties in Maryland that do not have this," Gupta said. "The other counties (are) Kent County, Somerset County, and Wicomico County. So Washington County is really separated from other counties and does not exist in state law at all."

The current process of appointing a student to the school board is lengthy: 

• Sophomores and juniors must obtain a recommendation from their teachers, student council advisor, counselor and principal
• They must submit an official letter of intent to the adviser of Washington County Association of Student Councils
• They must submit candidate biographies or resumes
• They must submit a video introducing themselves.
• They must campaign for a month.
• They must attend the Washington County Association of Student Councils convention and give a public speech and participate in an extensive question and answer section

"The role of the student member is not something that just arrives easily," Gupta said. "Students who are in this position work hard for it. They are deserving. They really do work hard for this and it sets them above the other students. They represent all the students in the county to the board of education."

Bokoum said student members are very disciplined and do their research, and institute positive change on school boards.

Students deserve ownership and participation in all aspects of the educational decision making process, deserve representation, empowerment and respect of the student voice, Gupta and Bokoum's PowerPoint presentation states.

School board President Melissa Williams said she would be supportive of having a section of state law include a stipulation that Washington County have a student member.

"And let me also say that I appreciate and I support, and I want to hear the student voice, and I do value student perspective," she said.

"However, no other stakeholder group, not parents, not teachers, not administrators, all of whom are impacted by decisions made by the board, is represented by a designated voting member of the board," Williams said. "So that would be something that would be particular to students. That's a concern to me."

She said that accountability is also an issue.

"We are accountable to the voters of Washington County," she said. "Also, I wonder about the constitutionality of giving voting rights to a student.

"Student members can be juniors or seniors," she said. "I would think it would be rare that those students are 18, which is the age a student could vote. So a student member would not be of voting age or able to hold public office, so I wonder about the constitutionality of a law that would set students up with voting rights."

The board took no vote on the matter. Gupta and Bokoum did not indicate what their next step might be.

Sherry Greenfield is the Education Reporter, covering Washington County Public Schools and the Washington County Board of Education. Follow Sherry on Twitter at Sheina2018 or Instagram at beckmangreenfield.