Boston School Committee Student Member Resigns, Says District Was 'Censoring' Him
BOSTON (CBS) - A student leader in the Boston Public Schools has resigned from the School Committee, charging that student voices are not being heard.
17-year-old Khymani James, a senior at Boston Latin Academy, says adult administrators and school board members simply overlook and ignore input from him and fellow students.
James and five other BSAC students who resigned spoke out on Saturday calling for change.
"From censoring our remarks and questions that get to the truth of the matter, to micromanaging our interactions with BPS personnel, we were never given a chance to hold the district officials accountable," James said. "There must be accountability like we've never seen before, and students must not be the only ones to deliver it, but create an entirely different infrastructure that is unequivocally pro-student and pro-student impact."
James announced his resignation on Twitter Thursday, posting a thread that began with, "I wanted to inform the public, and my constituents, that I have officially resigned from the Boston Student Advisory Council as well as the Boston School Committee."
He added in his Twitter thread, "Besides the blatant disrespect + adultist rhetoric used towards me in public meetings, the overall structures within both of these bodies are ineffective + harmful to the progressive agenda of students. *I've found out a lot of things recently that I simply cannot condone."
The Boston School Committee and Boston Public Schools issued a statement on Saturday, saying they "deeply value the voice" of their students:
The Boston School Committee and Boston Public Schools deeply value the voice of our students and work to offer opportunities for them to be heard. The Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) is one of the many ways students speak on behalf of their peers and inform school district policy. We strive to create environments where young people can bring their unique student experiences to every conversation, to ask challenging questions, and to co-create solutions. Working alongside Youth on Board, our staff will take steps to engage BSAC members and determine how we work together to move forward. The Committee and district will continue conversations with BSAC members to hear their concerns and honor and amplify their voices in our decision making.
BPS added on Saturday that they have reached out the family members of those serving on the BSAC to acknowledge the allegations.
