What would it look like if your voice was prioritized in Indy Education/School Board?
By Sherydan Dunn
The first way I would say Indy education would be prioritized would be that leaders would be more open minded. A lot in education is very much “one size fits all” — when that really is far from the truth. I feel like this generation is so unique, with many key differences that some leaders won’t admit. They really don’t understand, so they shy away from discussing and addressing school-related issues. A lot of them don’t want to be bothered with the educational difficulties of today’s youth. There needs to be more reflection and understanding. There needs to be recognition of the fact that what used to work long ago may not work at all today, or just in certain aspects.
If student voice was prioritized on the Indy school board then action would actually be taken. A lot of times when my peers and I have expressed concerns, we were told “we hear you,” or “thank you for sharing,” without any follow-up or real action. We are living in a world where everyone is speaking and sharing. Everyone is hearing but few are actually listening and acting on what is being spoken. We have to come to a point as a community where we are dedicated to change. Sometimes the biggest and greatest start is just to start working toward change. And after that, things should be brought to a solution.
Student voices need to become a regular priority. Most concerns from students, if not deemed truly urgent, are just eventually dismissed. Or when they come up with a solution, there is no follow-up or my peers and I are not given space for feedback. Without that, whatever was set in place is then the end-all-be-all and not touched on much after that. After opening minds and listening, this is the next step of action. This is why when a new system is in place, students don’t speak on it because it was just adopted for change. Students may feel bad or scared to say it doesn’t work for them because they don’t want to feel like a burden to leaders or staff. The solution after that may not be easy, but being open and encouraging feedback will keep kids involved. Placing encouragement and the importance of students being agentic in self-advocacy is crucial and a key player in change. There are a lot of clear holes in our system, and there are also some that are grey or unclear. Students need to be instilled with confidence to speak up so they can voice concerns. We have to not sit in silence but to speak on things, and I am still learning to do that myself.
For me to feel like my voice is heard, more community interaction is needed. A lot of my peers and I don’t know the names of our local school leaders. I don’t feel they actively do things to be known either. That needs to change. The disconnect needs to be filled to keep students encouraged and show that their voice matters. Members of the school community should know the students they are making important decisions about.
With these minor changes alone, a different system of change will be enough for positive results. These simple suggestions can shift the way communities, parents, and students interact. Doing so in turn will make better policies for everyone. It really starts with a conversation. If we are expected to lead in stride tomorrow, change needs to happen today.
