Voting in national, local and school board elections is one of the most representative and democratic practices in the United States — it allows for people to be directly involved and informed within their community and make a significant impact. As the most prominent democratic practice available to U.S. citizens, voting is a valuable way to gain experience in politics and civics, improving voters’ critical thinking.

Being able to participate in school board elections will help students be more informed as adults, and this important opportunity should not be taken from them simply due their age. A person’s first voting experiences are what shape their mindsets when engaging in civics in the future, and in most cases, teenagers have the least amount of financial responsibilities, allowing them to dedicate more effort and thought into their votes. Being able to take the time to educate themselves and figure out the voting process when they have fewer responsibilities will improve their ability to begin their voting experience positively.

Additionally, teenagers are affected by many legislatures, especially in school board and local elections, and should be able to contribute to the decision processes of enacting them. In recent years, protests — another democratic practice — have been frequent. While the idea of students using their voices and taking action to enforce necessary changes is a positive thing, protests and other types of civil resistance, which have the potential to be disruptive and result in police intervention, shouldn’t be the first experience in engagement for young people wanting to make an impact.

Some opponents argue that students are too inexperienced and immature to vote properly, as they may only look to what benefits themselves instead of the community as a whole. However, they ignore that teens generally have access to resources in school to learn how to effectively inform themself and go through the voting process constructively — therefore, they gain the experience necessary to vote and are capable of filling out a ballot.

Instead of only being able to contribute their opinions after legislation, high schoolers should have the ability to directly make an impact on local issues. This way, not only will they learn the techniques of voting early and continue to improve as an adult voter, but they will see the impact they are making on their community. When these students know that their voices are able to contribute to the betterment of their communities, they will gain confidence in their ability to participate in civics, a key part of successful democracies.

The PAUSD school board, made up of five elected members serving four-year terms, has three main responsibilities: Policy-making, administration and judicial duties. They set policies to guide the superintendent and staff, develop a long-term vision for the district, approve and monitor the budget and oversee hiring and evaluations. The board also handles opinions from staff, students and parents, which requires confidentiality and a strong understanding of school laws and regulations. Therefore, in order to elect officials that can fulfill these duties, it’s important that voters are educated and not easily influenced by others’ opinions.

In general, students and teenagers don’t fully understand the importance of a well-balanced school board. Although they do experience the education system firsthand, students often only focus on what benefits them directly instead of what benefits the community in the long-term.

On the other hand, the staff work together to run the school. This means that they understand the decisions
that need to be made and foundations that the school is built on. Also, teachers have a stronger understanding of what changes the school requires with their experience under the school board’s policies. The involvement in a multitude of activities throughout the school system also gives them a valuable understanding of education. This outlook provides staff with the ability to make well-informed votes.

In addition, parents are more likely to vote for the greater good, as throughout their lives, they garner knowledge on what they want to see in their childrens’ education system. This provides them with a broader understanding of long-term priorities, financial management structure and the goals of the school.

Additionally, students have a tendency to give into peer-pressure. High school is a time when students are figuring out who they are, which can cause them to be pressured to conform to certain ideas and societal standards. This pressure could extend into their voting decisions for the school board, as the influence of friends may lead students to prioritize popularity and validation from others over
informed, independent choices.

The PAUSD school board is extremely important, as it affects the lives of students, parents, staff and community members. It requires candidates who are well-suited for the position and voters who are informed enough to vote for them. Students lack the necessary experience to make these decisions and can be more easily influenced by their friends, which does not allow them to cast votes that align with their personal values and prioritize the greater
good.