Austin Voices for Education and Youth last week held the last of four “community conversations” to develop grassroots ideas for improving Austin schools. The conversations included teachers, students, parents, and community members, and they did not always agree. “If you’re hashing out issues you’re emotional about, it’s going to be tough,” said Garza Independence High School senior Ashley Avey. “I don’t think anything good could come out of it if you didn’t get annoyed at each other sometimes.”
Nevertheless, the group managed to produce a set of recommendations, which overwhelmingly revolve around fostering more student and community involvement in the schools and giving students more real-world learning opportunities. For students, this involved developing campus-based groups that would make recommendations to the AISD board of trustees, developing “service learning” programs in local businesses and organizations, and getting AISD to offer more specialized magnet-type programs.
Participants also urged turning AISD campuses into “community learning centers” housing social service organizations and providing ways nonstudents could also increase their education.
As an immediate goal, Austin Voices hopes to build support for the $459 million AISD bond package expected to go before voters this fall. Avey added that the group was also considering trying to get the voting age lowered to 16 for school board elections, or getting a student elected to the board of trustees. “It’s been done before, and it really makes sense,” she said.
This article appears in May 14 • 2004.