White County High Students Learn School Governance

Four White County High School students learned about the workings of public education during a Student Congress on Policies in Education conference in Nashville.

White County High School Teacher Keith Brown said the students he traveled with were split into groups and asked to debate issues faced by school boards across the state. White County Student Shane Barnes said the conference opened his eyes to how instrumental the student voice is in district decision-making.

“Introducing students into the process of educational policy and representing them further will ultimately usher educational policy, and thereby education, into a brighter future,” Barnes said. “One where students and faculty, superintendents, board members will be united and will have bonds.”

Brown said students conducted a mock school board meeting and faced complaints and concerns from disgruntled parents. He said he was impressed with the dedication White County students showed to furthering the quality of education in their county and state-wide.

“It’s a great opportunity for our kids to go and meet a lot of other kids from across the state who are very much like them, who are very bright and intellectual, and want to discuss things,” Brown said. “And I’m so proud to say that our students, once again, represented us with the highest character possible.”

White County is one of two Upper Cumberland counties with student representatives on its school board. Joy McGill and Max Simmons, the district student representatives, attended the conference. Simmons said the students discussed concepts like the threat artificial intelligence poses to education and the idea of a four-day school week. He said he was able to share valuable experience gained through working with the White County School Board with students who had never seen a school board operate.

“Whatever they go on to do, they’ll be a smashing success, whatever they do,” Brown said. “But we hope that if they go off to school, they come back and lead us as we get older and hand the mantle over.”