Students should vote on matters that decide their own futures
We are the ones most impacted by school board decisions, and we are the ones with the responsibility of electing officials who will not only hear our suggestions but also listen and implement them. We are tasked with selecting trustees that are deserving of our trust to fulfill our needs with moral integrity. Students, especially those who are 18 years old, wield more power than we are sometimes led to believe or are credited.
“The antidote to government by a powerful few is government by the organized, energized many,” Former President, Barack Obama tweeted on Sept. 25 in honor of National Voter Registration Day.
Our country was founded on the basis of collective governance, where the actions of elected officials reflect the wishes of the majority. The system, ideally, guarantees this through the institution of voting.
While voting was not always considered a natural right for all U.S. citizens, it was hard-fought for and won with the ratification of the Fourteenth and Nineteenth Amendment.
The social contract dictates that the people sacrifice some rights in return for the government’s protection and promise to respect their natural rights.
Voting is the most intrinsic tool of the public to contribute to a democratic government. One vote may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of national or even state competition, especially with the complications of political parties and predetermined state affiliations with them.
The arena where your voice has the most volume and impact is local elections. On many occasions the results of these elections generally affect your life more than the national decisions.
Every student who has ever complained about an action done by a school board member or who has opposed a result of government decision should be registered to vote. If you do not do your part in crafting a board with students’ best interests in mind, then you have no grounds to grumble when the board or candidate acts predictably against our best interests.
Even students who are not of age to vote have a voice. When it comes down to it, school board actions affect schools. Adults want to hear what students have to say because we know what we need. Parents want what is best for their children, so we need to tell our parents which candidates represent us best.
Now is your chance to do something about your grievances or objections to any school board ruling. Now is your opportunity to take action against unreasonable policies like the Opt-Out Policy, or attempted censorship of free speech like the email regarding Anonymous Mommy or violations of state legislature like the Brown Act by board trustees.
Three seats on the CVUSD school board are up for grabs and will be decided by the election on November 6. Remember to register to vote online by October 22, or show up to your local voting poll and register the same day as the election.
