Andrew Ramish, the incoming student representative to the School Board, sat in the audience and watched his predecessor, Matthew Wansley, take part in his last School Board meeting Thursday, June 26.
The view from the audience could be a view Ramish will have to get use to.
The matter of the student representative’s role on the board, including whether the representative should be seated with the board, has been scheduled as one of several topics to be discussed at a School Board work session Monday, July 8, which represents Ramish's first official meeting.
“There sure are some that are not happy I was so vocal, especially with the guest speaker debate [in which a controversial guest speaker invited by the student leadership to speak at Jefferson was disinvited by the [school's administration]. I think that is what provocated this," Wansley said in interview prior to his last meeting. "I have no doubt in my mind this is because I used the power of my position in a way it hasn't been done before."
School Board member Stuart Gibson (Hunter Mill), who made the referral to discuss the position at the work session, said it is simply time to revisit the policy and not a direct reaction to Wansley's active pursuit of his agenda.
"We haven't looked at the duties and responsibilities of the student rep in a long time," Gibson said. "Some have this belief the student rep is a member of the School Board and by law, he's not. And there are things he shouldn't be seeing, such as materials for closed session like personnel information."
THE SCHOOL BOARD'S policy concerning the student representative, according to the policy documents themselves, were last revised in 2001. The policy states the representative is just that, a representative to the board and not a member of the School Board. However, it also states the student representative receives materials distributed to the School Board, without any restrictions noted, and encourages the representative to participate in board discussions. The policy does restrict the student representative from introducing motions, although it does permit the representative's position to be read into the minutes after the board has taken any action. At one time, schools staff say, the position did have voting power, but that provision was revoked after a controversy arose in the late 1970s.
Wansley, one of only two two-term representatives, actively participated in board discussions, both in work sessions and meetings and was especially vocal during the debate surrounding altering the admission policy at Jefferson to promote a higher minority enrollment — Wansley favored offering Jefferson preparation classes and tests to all students, not just under represented schools — and he also supported permitting high-school students to carry nonprescription drugs at school.
"There have been several occasions, as a result of misunderstandings because of the student representative's role, I had to intercede because things got out of hand," said Schools Superintendent Daniel Domenech. "I had to step in when the student representative was seen as an elected official and was personally criticized as the other officials are. Most recently over the whole TJ issue, going back to last year. Matt was very opinionated and vocal — which led to some unpleasant experiences. I'm not sure we shouldn't be more protective of the student representative."
Domenech declined to give specifics, citing the fact that Wansley was a minor and a student, however, Wansley himself said the issue over the admission policy and the guest speaker controversy created a "toxic" atmosphere at Jefferson for student leaders.
"There's a lot of backlash from those who pay lip service to having students have a voice in policies that affect students," Wansley said. "I think it is very unfortunate if Dr. Domenech eliminates this position in every way but name, but it would be consistent with his way of dealing with dissenters."
Domenech said the discussion next week is not about eliminating the position, but a look at how the position functions in Fairfax County.
"There are many boards that have a student representative to the School Board without having the student participating or sitting at the table with the board," Domenech said. "There have been issues with him and issues in the past."
Domenech went on to say, there are citizens advisory groups and PTAs, which have access to the board without having a representative to the School Board at the table. "Where does it end?" he said.
GIBSON SAID HIS CONCERN was that the student representative was being given documents and voice mail messages, sent to the entire board, that by law he should not be receiving.
"There has been a general belief that the student representative is a member of the School Board, so when School Board members got stuff, the student representative got copies — like personnel matters and closed meeting items," Gibson said.
Gibson said part of the problem is the student representative is part of the telephone and e-mail system, which allows staff to send messages to all the School Board members at once, including the student representative. He also said he wanted to look at other issues, such as should the student representative be allowed to serve two terms or is there an opportunity for one school to dominate the position.
In fact, since the election of the first student representative in the early 1970s, nine high schools have not had a student elected to the position. Thomas Jefferson has provided the most representatives, having students serve eight terms, including both two-term representatives; and the most recent representatives, Wansley and Ramish. Robinson is the next closest with four representatives followed by Langley, Herndon and Marshall with three representatives each.
"We've had student reps from all over the county. And we've had some very vocal reps and to the extent the rep is vocal does not correlate to how effective the rep is," Gibson said. "The student rep can be effective without mixing it up with board members."
Wansley said he attended the open meetings and participated at those meetings. He did not attend closed meetings, however, as part of the phone mail and e-mail system he did get messages that maybe he should not have. He also did get copies of documents pertaining to closed meetings.
Even so, Wansley said the timing of this work session is not an accident.
"I think there is some deviousness in not explaining what the change is about and on springing it on the incoming representative," Wansley said. "Everyone knows I would have been quite vocal on this. I think it is somewhat unfair."
Last Thursday, each School Board member took the time to thank Wansley for his service and presented him with a resolution, at which time School Board member Mychele Brickner (At Large) also used the opportunity to lobby in support of the position:
"As far as having the student representative sitting at the table, I hope that never changes. I find it valuable."
Brickner also supported not restricting how many terms the representative can serve.