[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 4, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           STATEMENT REGARDING STUDENT VOICE AND EMPOWERMENT

                                 ______


                          HON. BERNARD SANDERS

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 1996

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my colleagues I would 
like to have printed in the Record this statement by several high 
school students at Champlain Valley Union High School in Vermont, who 
were speaking at my recent town meeting on issues facing young people.

       Through our high school years, we have discovered the power 
     and voice that we as students have in our school; and we have 
     realized that this power of student voice is an incredibly 
     valuable and meaningful learning experience.
       It's important to recognize that education reform, 
     especially when it concerns the students that say their 
     education . . . can be very slow. And we hope that some of 
     the ideas that we present today will be a springboard for 
     further action on the part of both students in the audience 
     as well as for Vermont.
       It's our hope that . . . we be more of a voice, both in 
     schools and on a national level. And, for that reason, our 
     presentation is both for Congressman Sanders and for the 
     teachers and the students in the audience.
       We believe that student voice is fundamental to provide the 
     necessary quality of education to our nation's youth. Student 
     voice empowers our students, instilling confidence and 
     providing opportunities for participation in the democratic 
     process. Student voice gives students control over their own 
     education, getting them interested and excited about it, and 
     making it more meaningful.
       Student voice improves the tone and level of respect among 
     students, teachers and administration and other members of 
     the school community, building a stronger community. 
     Incorporating student voice into the educational experience 
     is a tool for developing contributing members of a democratic 
     society.
       We attended a national conference last November, where we 
     came together with students and teachers from across the 
     country re: policy changes for student voice. And we came up 
     with a general policy at that conference. This first handout 
     that we've given Congressman Sanders (and if anyone else we 
     would like to copy, we'll have them available afterwards) is 
     kind of our own version of general policy that we created. 
     It's something you can bring back to your own schools, and 
     share with other people. The following is the policy:
       School government: schools should incorporate a democratic 
     decision-making process where all students can be recognized; 
     all people in the school community should have equal 
     opportunity to be heard; there should be a commitment to 
     building this process by making it accessible, and by 
     providing students and staff with the time necessary to plan 
     and implement the school's plan of action.
       For curriculum, students need to have a voice in what and 
     how they learn; open dialogue should exist between teachers 
     and students, about teacher and student evaluation.
       For school tone and culture: a school should have an 
     atmosphere that reflects its values of student empowerment; 
     this includes allowing students to help shape the atmosphere 
     of the school; the climate of the school should be one of 
     open communication between all its members; students and 
     faculty should feel equally comfortable in discussing 
     concerns and suggestions. The first step towards creating a 
     school culture that allows for Student Voice lies within each 
     individual, and . . . we want to stress that each person is 
     responsible for speaking out, and listening, and encouraging 
     the voice of others. The school atmosphere should reflect the 
     democratic ideals of our society. In an ideal world, as well 
     as a democracy, every person has a voice, and so each 
     person's voice should be listened to and respected.
       And the most important thing is ``how'' and ``what can you 
     do;'' and that's the second handout that we have available if 
     you want it. (signal) We're just going to go through reading 
     this is all. Here are some suggestions:
       Create more funding for education; let's think about the 
     future; if students are empowered today, we will be prepared 
     tomorrow to contribute to society in an active and productive 
     way. But this cannot be accomplished on a shoestring budget. 
     . . . What is more important than education, what is more 
     important than our future?
       Encourage students to teach each other; everyone is good at 
     something; finding strengths build upon them by creating 
     opportunities for students to teach their peers. Through this 
     teaching process, students will gain confidence in leadership 
     skills. Invite students to serve on national committees and 
     panels concerning education skills. Create positions for 
     students to advise the Secretary of Education: a student 
     representative in Washington.
       And the final suggestion today: create charters for student 
     rights within your local schools, and send these charters to 
     other schools, and encourage them to create their own 
     charters. Let's begin a grassroots Student Voice Movement. 
     (APPLAUSE)
       Congressman Sanders: I would strongly encourage all of the 
     schools here to get copies of these very excellent documents. 
     The second I'd like to ask you: to what degree are these 
     principles in existence now at CVU--are they in existence?
       Answer. I think we're here because we have gotten these 
     principles from our school and from our education; and that's 
     not to say that every student at CVU has gotten the same 
     things that we have. I think that our school does an 
     excellent job of providing opportunities for students, but it 
     doesn't do quite as well in making . . . sure that all 
     students realize and recognize that opportunity.
       Congressman Sanders: Let me ask you the last question: in 
     the last election nationally, only 38% of the American people 
     came out to vote. What do you see as the relationship between 
     student democracy and democracy within our country as a 
     whole?
       Answer. It's building on the future; if we start in 
     schools. The problem with our democracy today is that as 
     students grow up in our educational system, they don't learn 
     that much about it. Then once they get out there into the 
     real world they haven't had very much practice with it, and 
     don't know what to do. One of the best ways to remedy that 
     problem is to start dealing with democracy in the schools.

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