Editor,
In 2002 the Laguna Beach League of Women Voters issued a formal report finding elections at Laguna Beach High School “flawed” by voting not “announced in advance so eligible voters can prepare,” students not “fully informed before being asked to vote,” and “clear questions about balloting process secrecy and impartiality.” The LWV report admonished, “Perception of an unfair election creates a wound that never heals.”
LWV recommended a revised student constitution giving students “working knowledge of powers and processes” for student government, including due process for student grievances. No school board member spoke out about the LWV report, or called for action to keep the promise of democracy in our public schools.
Two years later, school district staff responded to LWV, promising a “well-crafted [student body] Constitution.” Never happened, but fast-forward 12 years to 2016, an LBHS Brush & Palette student newspaper reports on a new “House of Representatives” at LBHS.
Unfortunately, in reply to a congratulatory note from me the LBHS principal replied, “The student House of Representatives (as I have called it) is not a form of student government in any way…not a decision-making body…Next year we may draft a Constitution.”
Why call it “House of Representatives” if it’s not? I’d like to help the board and staff to do much more to empower civic life for our students.
For 15 years I’ve urged our school board to establish at low cost a comprehensive citizenship and civics curriculum, built around a grade 4-12 student government program at all four of our public schools. The best public and private schools in America have serious student government programs, not just to teach citizenship, but so students can connect socially and gain healthy self-confidence.
When students make and enforce their own rules hard truths often are spoken more clearly. Peer pressure can be harnessed to help keep each other safe without undue dependence on adult interventions. LBHS can be a high-risk school, but peer accountability can be employed to promote good choices, not just provide peer support for recovery from bad choices.
Student government opens new pathways to leadership for girls and boys who may want options besides sports, academics and obligatory too-often adult driven community service. Our school board should be setting an example of civic literacy and good governance for students to emulate. See my “Policy Agenda” on civic empowerment for both adults and students at LBStudentsFirst.com.
Howard Hills, Laguna Beach
The author is a candidate for school board.
