The school board directly affects students everyday. We believe they should have a say in those decisions. The students of Chapel Hill High School are petitioning the Chapel Hill Carrboro City School Board to appoint one advisory student board member from each high school in CHCCS, elected by the student body to serve as a voting member on the school board. 

The National School Board Association, arguing for student board members, says “the practice of democracy is not passed down through our gene pool. It must be taught and learned anew by each generation of citizens.” A student board member would not only efficiently communicate the desires of the student body, but also infuse the student body with a greater understanding of their civic responsibilities.

 Taking on the role of student representative should not be taken lightly. We want to ensure that this student would be prepared and suitable for the task. We propose that a student representative would be elected in a school wide election at the start of the second semester. Candidates must be a junior or senior, have at least a 2.0 GPA, and receive 25 signatures. The following year, the elected representative would serve a one year term as a voting member of the school board who aims to work with the student body to convey their opinions and concerns on topics concerning highschool students.

We highly encourage the school board to take the first step and be drivers of change across not only our district, but all of North Carolina.