How Can Student Trustees Better Represent All Students?

Within almost every school board, it is a priority for the administration to ensure student representation. Many initiatives are focused on the student's voice, such as student surveys, media contests, and student parliaments. One of the more direct methods is the student trustee position, where any high schooler is elected by student senators (serving each school) to represent the student body on the board of trustees.

I was present at the past two Student Trustee elections for Thames Valley District’s School Board as an observer, and I have heard directly of every candidate’s promises and backgrounds. Although all candidates had good ideas and clear determination, none of them even mentioned the multiple critical issues facing the position, ultimately harming its effectiveness as a medium for students and their school board. This article will focus on the Thames Valley District School Board student trustees, however, most of the issues discussed can be applied universally.

Lack of Rural Student Trustees

(Image source: https://cupe7575.ca/files/2017/11/TVDSB-ZONES.pdf)

The Thames Valley District School administrates a vast area, with its area spanning in between counties within Ontario. This area stretches over 200 kilometres, with a total area of over 7000 square kilometres. Rural and urban districts are equally represented by the adult trustees, with 6 for London, and 2 for each county (Middlesex, Oxford, and Elgin).

On the other hand, the 2 seats reserved for the student's voice are not divided into urban and rural. Urban-based schools have routinely taken up both seats. For the past 4 years, an Oakridge Secondary School student has held one of the spots. The second, for the past 2 years, was occupied by London Central Secondary School students. These schools are only 7 kilometres apart, a far cry from other county schools up to 60 kilometres away from central London.

It is no secret that rural students face different challenges than urban students. Ontario is investing in online learning for every student, with the recent OSSTF agreement still cementing 2 mandatory e-learning credits. County students are at a disadvantage with unreliable internet coverage at home and limited access to technology. A noticeable divide is also seen when comparing the resources of urban and rural schools. A 2016 People for Public Education Report found that 94% of Ontario urban/suburban secondary schools have a full-time guidance counsellor, while only 74% of rural schools have one. Furthermore, within elementary, 91% of urban/suburban schools have a full-time special education teacher, while in contrast, only 66% of small-town schools do.

In order to directly listen to the unique challenges that rural learners face, the Thames Valley District School Board should increase the number of student trustees by 2. Half for the urban candidates, and a half hailing from the county schools. Or, if that is not possible, reserve one of the existing seats for rural candidates and vice versa. This will help bridge the geographic device between students across the board, as both their voices will be heard through their own trustees.

Apathy Towards Student Trustees

On the surface, students don’t care about their representatives on the school board. There is a disconnect between the trustees and the student body, unaware of the roles and responsibilities of those managing their education. None of my peers could name their senators, let alone the student trustees. From the lens of an outsider, the Ontario Student Trustees Association (the union of all the student trustees across Ontario) looks like a group of formally-dressed students playing politics, unaware that the OSTA is the biggest student stakeholder group in the province. One could say that this is a result of students being disengaged from politics, unaware and unwilling to take action to settle their grievances.

London, Ontario students protesting against Doug Ford’s education cuts. (Image source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-ontario-walkout-1.5085416)

This is quickly disproven once you take a look at the long history of student protests worldwide against school boards, governments, and education policies. The youth are invested in their education and will take to the streets to make their voice heard. A direct line of communication to the board, one of their own sitting as a trustee is ineffective when students simply don’t know what the role of student trustee entails and what is happening on the board.

The reason why movements such as #StudentsSayNo have gained so much traction amongst the youth is that they have actively engaged with students, most notably through social media. When I was in the last two Thames Valley student trustee elections, no one mentioned the clear lack of any communication between students and the student trustees.

A social media where the students can see the work of the student trustees and senators would demystify the inner workings behind the decisions that define their education. The only way to watch public board proceedings is online in the format of full, unedited videos. They average under 500 views on YouTube, and since no student has the time or will to watch a full 2–3 hour board meeting filled with parliamentary parlance and elementary musical performances, we have no idea what is and isn’t being discussed. Summaries of the board meetings are essential so students can see what issues need to be brought up that can only be spotted from the perspective of the students. Initiatives put forth by the student trustees would also become more transparent, such as when the School Climate Survey was filled out by most Thames Valley students. Seeing the results of the survey and the solutions presented will allow the student body to be aware of the issues facing their school and better collaborate on solutions as needed.

The student senator also goes rather forgotten as well. Chosen by the school’s principal, they have the important job of being the liaison for one’s school community to the Student Advisory Council (SAC). The SAC is a platform headed by the student trustees for students to discuss ideas and concerns about education. Senators also compose the voting committee for the Student Trustee elections.

To make the student senator more relevant in facilitating student input, they should be democratically elected by their peers. Being elected means there will be an investment from the student body in the position and will be chosen with their goals and intentions clear to everyone. The student senator should also work closely with their school’s student council/parliament in order to better implement ideas created in the SAC.

Conclusion

(Image source: https://www.tvdsb.ca/en/our-board/trustees.aspx?_mid_=777)

Student trustees are one of the most landmark initiatives to bring student input into education. The administrative committee that manages key education programs will only see success with the student being directly represented by one of their peers. However, the student trustee has failed to live up to the dream of a liaison for students to the school board due to a lack of clarity in the responsibilities and communication between the trustees and students. Rural students have also failed to reach the same representation as urban students, and with their unique challenges, it’s important that one of their peers is on the board. If student trustees were to actively engage with the student body through social media, inform their peers of the board’s priorities and have the student senators chosen directly by those representing it, we would see an increased involvement with students in voicing their concerns for a safer, more inclusive school community.

This piece expresses the opinions of Dante Fosterdelmundo, and is not necessarily indicative of the stance of the FCSS-FESC.