The Grand Ledge School Board has held a series of meetings recently, but there is a growing concern among students and teachers about whether their voices are truly being heard. When asked, two senior students mentioned that they have to go through a very lengthy process just to get anything considered.
“It’s frustrating,” one senior who wishes to remain anonymous said. Teachers share similar opinions. One teacher, who also chose to remain anonymous, remarked that if he did decide to bring a topic up for discussion during a meeting, they would choose to dismiss it.
“They’d listen and their eyebrows would raise, then they would quickly change the conversation,” he said, “Even if I wanted to share my opinion, nobody even asks for it anyway, so what’s the point?”
When students and teachers were asked what they would change if they were on the school board, students pointed out that they would change the cell phone policy, stating that they feel more unsafe with the stricter policy.
Meanwhile, teachers have stated that they would rather enforce a stricter school policy overall.
“The first class of the day should be a homeroom where students check their phones, where they will stay for the rest of the day,” the same teacher commented.
Lack of engagement from the school board has left both students and teachers feeling unheard. As the school board continues its meetings, the hope is that they will start to take these concerns seriously and create a more inclusive environment where students and teachers’ voices can be heard and valued.
“We just want to feel like our opinions matter, it’s our school we deserve a say in how things are run,” said the previous senior student.
The growing discontent among students and teachers suggests that changes may be necessary to foster a more collaborative and supportive school community.
If the board can address these issues, it may lead to a more positive and productive atmosphere for everyone involved. The community is hoping for a shift that will allow for better communication and mutual respect between the board, students, and staff.
One student who has attended several meetings, expressed hope for the future, “If the school board starts listening to the concerns of staff and students, we could finally make real progress.” Ultimately, the path forward lies in open dialogue and genuine collaboration. As one teacher put it, “it’s time for the board to listen.”
