Message for two-
The minute video produced by students at Newark public school is clear: the student's voice is important.
This is a new event at the Youth Media seminar provided by the Abbott Leadership Institute at Rutgers University
Newark, teach parents and students how to advocate education.
Youth at the symposium, whether public or chartered students, do not believe that the area will hear their voices when they complain about the state of the city's schools, such as the smart board is broken and the supply is insufficient, the books are out of date, and there are too many substitute teachers.
"No one cares what we have to say. what they are deciding is our education.
Rachael, 14, said it was unfair.
Grade students in high school.
MORE: A few hours before the Newark public school education council meeting on Tuesday, Barry CartercolumnsI stumbled across their video on Facebook.
Ready students attended the meeting and proposed solutions.
They want the board's student representative to vote on the issue when the region resumes local control from the state this summer.
This is important for them, especially after 21 years of supervision.
"There may be people who think that students have a say, but the truth is that we are not happy --
Vivian Peralta, a senior at Barringer High School, said.
They think the seats that really sit at the table will change that.
The same is true of creating your own city-wide student School Council-
Composed of a representative of each school-
Provide their views on issues that affect them.
They believe that olive branches from the region will also make sense.
"How many of you have come into contact with students who are directly influenced by your policies, rulings, and decisions," asked Northstar College sophomore, 15-year-old Quanye White.
Engagement is feasible.
So is the student's idea. run board.
However, increasing student voting to the general school board does not depend on the region.
President Christopher marguis, chairman of the Central Emergency revolving fund and board of directors •-
Aquil Lewis says new legislation will be needed for student voting to reconfigure ninemember board.
"This is not something that I or the elected school board can grant," Seve said in a telephone interview . ".
"The composition of the board, the number of board members, the timing of the election are all set by regulations.
"If this is not possible, students need something to move forward.
You see, they also attended a meeting in support of the board's elected student representative, Laura Gould, who thought the position was nothing more than a title.
"In general, I feel that I am excluded from the board dialogue," Gould said at the meeting . ".
For most of the year, Gould said, a 17-year-old childyear-
She is a senior at Science Park High School and she is given a role that should be influential in trying to figure out where she fits.
But she soon understood the importance of the position.
"The overall attitude towards my role is that it doesn't matter," she observed . ".
Ramon Melendes, Gould's predecessor, said he understood her frustration.
"I always come to meetings and my folders are thinner than others, which means I am missing information," Melendez said . ".
On 2009, 21-year-old Lewis, who was elected as the youngest member of the board, apologized to Laura and told her that he did not want the next student representative to have the same disappointing experience.
But overall, he says the board has done a good job in the past few years, including student delegates.
Thurf said he admires and respects Gould, but he believes that the region works closely with Gould to make her time on the board meaningful and successful.
He said the area was coming to serve the students, which is why they sent a collective message when the youth media workshop participants came home.
What they said left a deep impression on him.
"It is unrealistic to have a student represent 66 schools in Newark," Rachel Smore said of an area that includes 36,000 students.
"Without power, we will continue to feel that our voice is not important.
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The student council says 15-year-
Old Cory Juan Robertson will allow them to hold the board of education accountable.
"Going back to local control has to include a place for us," said Robertson, a freshman at Central High School . ".
"We want to make sure you don't ignore us this time.
He said he planned to meet them soon.
He can look forward to hearing the news of the school lunch.
The students said it was not good.
Many of them secretly eat sandwiches or buy snacks from school fundraising and franchises --
Typing shops in some school buildings.
Finally, he can expect them to talk about emotional support.
They said it would be great if the teacher sometimes asked them how they were doing.
Teaching is important, but it is also important.
Board members praised the students for speaking out and telling them they were their best advocates.
This is in line with the good guidance of Junius Williams, founder and director of the rut Gus Abbott leadership team.
"We allow them to be as great as possible," Williams said . ".
"We think they can amplify their voices and control the information.
Lewis said that the concept of the city's student council is similar to that of Marion Boden's student government organizations in the region from 1999 to 2008 when he served as principal.
He said that each school in the organization had a student representative who shared concerns with the Board of Education.
If it worked then, it would be fine now.
The voice of the students is very important. Barry Carter: (973)836-
4925 orbcarter @ starledger.