.JPG)
Rhinebeck High School senior Amaia Hayes participated with students from Dutchess BOCES and its component districts to learn how to be effective in their roles as ex officio student board members on the school boards of their respective districts.
“It was a really cool experience to meet other student school board representatives and hear about their involvement on their own school boards,” said Hayes, the student representative on Rhinebeck’s Board of Education.
“One takeaway from the training was that as a student member we serve not only as representatives of our own beliefs and experiences, but the beliefs and experiences of all students in the district. Because of this, it is important to talk to many different groups of people, learn their opinions about different issues and relay that to the board.”
The training was held statewide over video with staff and students from the 36 other BOCES locations zooming in to hear from speakers, including New York State Sen. Shelley B. Mayer and State Assembly Member Carrie Woerner, who sponsored the bill requiring school boards to appoint at least one non-voting student member. Mayer said this bill, signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul last year, was established because many school boards across the state were making crucial decisions for students without their input. While students will share their thoughts on many issues, they will not make decisions on personnel and confidential matters.
Before the law’s passing, Mayer and Woerner met with superintendents and students who were serving as representatives for their district’s school boards, highlighting its positive impact.
“The students thought it was an incredible experience that was important for them as they grew up … The superintendents felt like there was absolute value in the opinions and experience of someone who’s in the school every day,” Mayer recalled. “If there ever was a moment where we had to practice democracy and learn to listen to people whom we disagree with and sit in a room with people who have strong opinions that are not the same as ours, it is now.”
New York State Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa advised students to be open to all ideas and back up their arguments with evidence, as well as honor the decisions a board makes, even if they do not personally agree with them.
“You’re not always going to advance an issue and come out of it the winner,” Rosa said. “It’s important that you realize when you’re part of a team, think about all sports, you win as a team, you lose as a team.”