HB958 - A minor who can't act for themselves doesn't belong on a school board. SB positions should be positions of honor not putting up a minors who's brains haven't matured yet (by medical science). HB1528 - Unless you think forced relations are ok, this is needed. Stat occurs when someone having relations is under a certain age. HB571 - Move to report.

Support! Each School Board should consist of one student member.

Aaron Zevin-Lopez - Co-President, Virginia Chapter - Voters of Tomorrow In an era where heated debates over the state of our schools are all too common, an important voice is being drowned out: the voice of students. While many school boards have some forum for student input - like Student Advisory Boards, others do not or are perhaps not engaging in the optional process. Even more localities lack a student representative on their school boards, despite the benefits of doing so. We believe that having student representatives on school boards would make a positive difference in students’ lives in the Commonwealth. According to the National School Boards Association, the practice can help strengthen democratic values in students by showing that school boards value students’ opinions and wish to hear students’ thoughts on issues affecting students. It helps to create a direct link between students and the elected officials that govern them. Arguments that students are not mature or experienced enough to participate as members in school boards ignore the reality of Virginia’s young people being among the most civically engaged cohorts today. In truth, giving us a voice on school boards can create a useful outlet for students who wish to be involved in the decision-making process that impacts our daily lives. Voters of Tomorrow’s Virginia Chapter have testified before School Boards. We have testified before County Boards and City Councils. We have organized and led protests across the Commonwealth on issues ranging from environmental protection to abortion to book banning and whitewashing history. We’ve conceived, advocated for, and led efforts to pass legislation in the General Assembly… including 1) giving high school students at least one excused day per year for civic engagement and 2) creating a voter pre-registration system for 16- and 17-year-old students. We hope you will pass this bill that is important to Virginia’s GenZ community and the Virginia Chapter of Voters of Tomorrow as well!