Students’ complaints fall on deaf ears

Several students, myself included, went to the Sarasota County School Board meeting July 16 to voice our concerns with some of the board’s actions.

One in particular was the proposal to raise school meal prices from $2.25 to $3.25. If you’re purchasing breakfast and lunch, that would be $6 per day, $30 a week and $120 a month. That is a price many families cannot afford, especially if they have two or three students in the school system.

Many students asked the board not to approve this plan and to make sure that they look into every single program that would either help lower the costs or make lunches free, but most board members did not listen.

Only board member Tom Edwards responded, saying, “I am constantly working, which is when you heard me say something about the All Faiths Food Bank today, because I’m out there trying to find a solution where every lunch for every child and every student in the school district is free regardless. I will be working on that on an ongoing basis. I’m sorry we have to raise the prices. I wish it didn’t have to happen.”

While I commend Mr. Edwards’ actions, he and the rest of the board moved the item to the most recent meeting on Aug. 6, when it would be voted on.

Now, at this most recent meeting, 11 out of the 15 agenda-based comments were students and the public asking the board not to approve this change.

When this section of the comments were over, a majority of the board said that they are “listening to our concerns,” but the board passed the item without taking our concerns into consideration. Board members said they believe that this is the best option for the county. But the best option is making lunches free with programs that they have not fully considered.

I feel this shows that board members do not listen to us; they only hear what they want to hear. Or, they twist our words into a narrative that promotes them and silences us.

We want them to listen to our concerns. We want them to be a school board that represents us as students, staff and community members of this great district. If they can’t give that to us, then we have no choice but to find a better board that truly represents us.

I ask that you all vote in the election Aug. 20. I ask you to vote with us, the students. I want you to ask yourself: Is this candidate going to represent the students, the staff and the public? Or will this candidate harm us with actions that we do not want?

Avery Cole

Booker High School