On today’s episode of Expert Instruction: The Teach by Design Podcast, we continue our exploration of how to add student perspectives to the decisions effecting schools every day. We’ve shared ideas for how to include students at the school level, but what about at the district level? What does it look like for students to be involved in decisions that effect not only the way their school operates, but how all schools operate within their area? Zachary Patterson knows.
Zachary is a senior at University City High School in San Diego, CA and the very first student board member on San Diego Unified School District’s school board. The fact that the district has a student member at all was Zachary’s idea. As a 7th grader, he proposed the board add a student seat. By October 2019, not only had they approved that proposal, but Zachary was elected to serve as the inaugural student member. On top of this position, he is also the founder and current president of the California Student Board Member Association – an organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the rights of students serving on California school boards.