Student Council: the chance for change is now

As new o cers rise, student interest and outreach are crucial for success

Student+Council%3A+the+chance+for+change+is+now

Ace Zhang

Editorial Board

2019-20 Student Council, this is your chance. It’s your chance to do something, to reach as far as you can, to prove that Student Council is an effective and integral contingent.

So, take that chance, and make the student body care about Student Council.

In the May 3 election, Ben Cifu, Kepler Boonstra and Ava Kucera ran unopposed, and we wonder if that is because potential candidates didn’t think they could win or because not many students saw the value of joining Student Council.

What we’ve seen in past years is Student Council being defined by throwing a few dances and maybe a lock-in or two. Yet, according to the position descriptions, all of that and more can be taken care of by the Cultural Union. So, while Cultural Union members plan grade and school-wide events, what are our presidents and vice presidents doing?

We seldom hear of Student Council members working directly with members of the student body to address their concerns. We don’t see Student Council members in action except for the few Facebook and Schoology posts reminding us of school events. Beyond these events, we don’t always see the tangible results of the weekly meetings.

But we’d like to. Open more channels of conversation with students and publicize them. Rather than reacting only to major proposals, create regular public opportunities for discussion between Student Council members and other students. Let the student body know that there’s a space for them to work with you, and then foster that space. A good place to start is the newly amended constitution that allows any student to suggest bills in the Student Council with a sponsor.

Make sure you’re hearing all students, because your student body has opinions and ideas for developments. They just need you to let them know that sharing those ideas is an accessible option. They need to know there’s someone listening.

Essentially, Student Council should let students in, and make sure that students know how they can be involved. If the all-school secretary is already taking minutes of meetings which are open to the student body, they could easily be published on Facebook and Schoology.

Now is your time to truly take charge of the school. Student Council should be more involved in school events, like Social Justice Week and Artsfest. Furthermore, they should create more of their own, original programming.

This clean slate that you start with is immensely exciting. You have a full year to change the nature of the Student Council-student body relationship. So go forth, and do it. Make students understand that Student Council can be a really useful tool. Make students care about the role you have by taking that role seriously.