Here's where each New Bedford School Committee member stands on student rep voting rights.

NEW BEDFORD — A bill seeking to enable student representatives to vote on school committees throughout Massachusetts got mixed reactions among New Bedford School Committee members last Monday, as they made their personal positions known.

In short, Mayor Jon Mitchell — ex-officio School Committee chair — along with members Bruce Oliveira and Christopher Cotter took pronounced stances against Bill H.474, An Act Relative to Student Representative Voting Rights; while members Colleen Dawicki, Melissa Costa, and Joaquim Livramento expressed being in favor of it. Member Ross Grace expressed apprehensions about supporting the bill, but wanted more time and information to consider.

However, as mentioned during discussion, School Committee members' opinions would be inconsequential if the bill, which was filed in January, passes.

As pointed out by New Bedford High junior and student rep Elliott Talley — who'd requested the item be put on Monday's agenda — the legislation would not allow student reps to vote on things like collective bargaining, personnel matters such as terminations, or any matters taken up in executive session.

"We as a group believe students are a huge stakeholder in education because we sit in the desks, we get the education, we know what’s going on," said Talley, referencing the Mass. Association of Student Representatives' position on the bill, "and so we feel we should get a vote on the school committee."

School Committee apprehensions based on student reps not being elected officials

School Committee members' feedback was largely directed at Talley, who has been a vocal advocate of the bill. While all seven members commended Talley on his input and/or resolve, some expressed concern with the fact that student reps are not elected by city voters.

Read the latest: Former state senate candidate found not guilty of open and gross lewdness after jury trial

"I think your input is invaluable," said Oliveira, the first committee member to engage in the discussion. "I'm conflicted as far as the voting piece only because, I don't know, I just am, and I can't really put a thumb on it...."

"The input is phenomenal, and it's greatly appreciated as it always has been," said Cotter. "I do just have some reservations and some concerns with allowing a vote within ... an elected committee.

"And I understand you're elected by your student body, but we're elected on a city-level. So it kind of does make a little difference...."

"I think everybody's in agreement that we, the School Committee, have long valued the input of the student representative," said Mitchell. "I think there is a problem with democratic legitimacy. We are elected by the voters of the city and it's only those people who are on the dais here."

Mitchell went on to note that while some educational boards, like those at UMass Dartmouth and the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, do allow student reps to vote, those boards have appointed members, not elected ones.

Just as many committee members in favor of bill

"[I am a] big supporter of your work, Elliott, and this proposal," said Dawicki. "I think, to your point, the people who are having the impact from the decisions made here should be having a say."

See what's cookin': Yozakura Japanese Kitchen prepares to reopen in Acushnet. Here's what we know so far.

"To be able to have that voice and to be able to have that vote I think is super important, especially when we’re talking about civic engagement...," said Costa, noting the recent city election turnout of "a dismal 6%."

"I hope that this goes forward and I wish that we, as a New Bedford School Committee, would actually chair this and move this forward, and not wait for state legislation to let us do this...."

Livramento expressed hopes that having voting rights would lead to reps being "more involved in what happens throughout the entire school district," and to "a better stage of understanding as to what needs to happen in our school system."

"So I think it's an excellent step to move forward," Livramento said.

Discussion to resurface at next meeting

"At this point, it’d be hard for me to say 'yes,' but I don’t want to just shoot it down," said Grace before making a motion to table the discussion, which, as Mitchell pointed out, entails it will be revisited in November.

After some light debate over whether the discussion needed any continuation, Grace's motion narrowly passed a roll call vote, with Grace, Livramento, Dawicki and Costa in favor; Oliveira, Cotter and Mitchell against.

Talley cites Maryland precedent, responds to common concerns

One reason Grace said he wanted to continue the talk was that he was "interested in the precedents" relative to student reps voting. Earlier in the discussion, Talley had referenced a Maryland Supreme Court decision that asserted student reps' right to vote on school boards.

Tragic news hits SouthCoast: An 8-year-old Acushnet boy's courageous battle with DIPG ended Wednesday morning.

"So it wouldn't be unconstitutional," Talley said.

In response to Dawicki, who'd asked what some common concerns are, Talley said one was the question of whether future student reps might be suitable to have voting powers despite confidence in any current reps.

"There are a lot of buffers," said Talley. "So I have to have very good attendance and decent grades, at least above a C to be allowed to be in this position."

"Sometimes you'll get a bad apple in this seat. I hope you don’t think you have one here now, but sometimes you might, and that’s just what happens in the political process."

'Disappointed' but optimistic

On Thursday, Talley told The Standard-Times he was "a little disappointed" that there wasn't more support from the School Committee, and that the agenda item entailed "discussion" rather than voting on a resolution in support of the bill, as he'd submitted when requesting the agenda item.

Talley said the resolution language he'd submitted came from the Mass. Association of Student Representatives, for members to present to their local school committees.

"Our intent is to ensure that students are adequately represented when it comes to their education," Talley said. "Students are the ones the system is meant to benefit.... We get a perspective most people don't."

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford School Committee has mixed opinions on student reps voting