MCHS Seniors are Worried about Lack of Representation at Board Meetings
November 17, 2017
The buzz amongst many current MCHS seniors, and even some of last year’s graduates, has overwhelmingly been about this year’s lack of senior representative at school board meetings. The senior representative is one student from the senior class who goes to all of the board meetings and takes the collective opinions and suggestions of the high school body and applies them to the conversations that take place between the school board and the public.
The difference with this year, though, is that the school board is questioning whether or not a senior representative should be chosen from this year’s class. However, current MCHS Principal Michael Gasaway feels that the senior representative program should continue.
“We should definitely have a voice from our senior class,” Gasaway said. “I think that’s important.”
Gasaway added, “I also think it’s important that people get to hear about our story at the high school, because if we’re not telling our story, other people will, and we don’t want other people telling our story.”
So what is the problem? Why hasn’t a representative been chosen yet?
There is no solid answer on this yet. Some speculation from peers and Mr. Gasaway is that it could have to do with the walkouts and outspoken opinions from the students regarding last year’s termination of former principal, Kevin Yancey.
Gasaway said, “I’ve talked with a few board members briefly about [the senior representative] and said I feel very comfortable about going through getting a student representative and getting it over to [the board members] and having [the students] represent our school. I like it; I just don’t know what all has happened [at MCHS]. I have no idea about the past, so I’m only worried with how we’re going to move forward.”
Since there is only one board meeting a month, and November’s meeting has already passed, it’s believed that the verdict over whether or not there will be a representative at December’s meeting has already been decided. Even if a student rep is approved, the chosen student will not be able to actually perform at the meetings until January’s meeting.
The next board meeting is December 13th and will be held at the administration building at 6:00 p.m..
Jane Buchanan • Nov 18, 2017 at 9:22 am
I wish MCHS would have a student representative on the School Board.
I feel they should have a voice and be heard.
I have seen other student that were part of the board be recognized at the end of the school with sincere appreciation of their presents as a representative and be given a nice gift . They sang their praises. I feel that they didn’t like to have representative that didn’t know to show up and shut up. I am Alumni, I retired from MCS ,a person who pays taxes in Jefferson County and a proud grandmother of a student at MCHS.