Archive: Opinions

It's not easy standing up to speak in a public meeting.  Theoretically it's harder when you are a kid.  But at last Monday's Lansing Board Of Education meeting a dozen community members including eight students took the microphone to tell the school board what they think about the proposed dress code portion of the Code Of Conduct.

The best part of this was that adults and students spoke respectfully, arguing their positions in a collegial manner, sticking to the issues and not making it personal.  School board members thanked students for their views, opposing or otherwise, and remarked on their eloquence.

Whatever you think about the high school dress code, that discussion says a lot about our community.  First of all the Lansing produces stand-up kids who will look you in the eye and tell you what they think.  When something affects their lives they'll stand up and try do do something about it, working within the system to make their lives better.  They form independent opinions and are passionate about defending them in a respectful manner, accepting opposing opinions and motivations as valid, but standing up for their own.

The same must be said for the school board.  All the board members were respectful of the students and parents who spoke, commending them for speaking their minds and thanking them for providing input for the board in its deliberations on the new policy.  There wasn't a single instance of an adult 'talking down' to a student.  They extended the community input section of the meeting to allow all speakers to express their point of view, and solicited more input after voting to table the final vote.

That teaches a powerful lesson.  While I suspect that students won't be thrilled with the final code, the fact that they worked within the system to try to influence the outcome is most impressive.  The fact that those entrusted with the system itself honored that and the kids in their community by giving them an equal voice is equally impressive.

The students who spoke asked for respect from the school board.  The act of working within the system and standing up for what they believe should certainly earn them a huge dollop of respect.  That doesn't go away, no matter what the outcome of the deliberation on the dress code is.

Outcomes never please everyone, but they get more buy-in when everyone has a say.  If there was a chance to change this policy, stepping up to tell the school board at Monday's meeting was it.  The immediate result is that the board has another two weeks to cogitate on the feedback they got as well as to resolve some legal questions.  That is how the system should work.

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