nothin The Kids Get Their Say | New Haven Independent

The Kids Get Their Say

Zak Stone Photo

From left: Linette Deluc, Khadijah Cyril, Jamarr Daniels.

As adults are in the midst of debating how to turn around New Haven’s schools, Jamarr Daniels wants his fellow students to add their voices.

Daniels, a Wilbur Cross High School senior, made that pitch on TV Tuesday night. He joined other high schoolers from the region on a panel about school change on cable public-access program 21st Century Conversations produced by OneWorld Progressive Institute.

The program’s host, N’Zinga Shäni, asked the panelists to discuss the single most important change America needs now.” The students came up with health care reform, climate change, equal opportunity, and encouraging youth civic engagement. 

Why don’t youth go to community events and speak up?” Daniels asked. Young people ought to contact their representatives to let them know that you’re serious about your situation.” He said that too many young people are uninterested in learning, and come to school only because their parents force them.”

Many of his classmates beeline home after school or skip class altogether, Daniels said. He spends time after class each day volunteering within the school system or participating in a police explorer” program for young people interested in law enforcement.

Why can’t you go to class and get your education?” Daniels demanded of his apathetic peers.

Daniels’s views were seconded by co-panelists Caitlin Morrissey, Eric Pang, and Brandon Patterson, all from West Haven High School, and Hamden High School’s Khadijah Cyril and Linette Deluc.

The students agreed that a lack of passion for learning and community engagement typically begins at home.

If parents fail to help children learn that education is important, the next step is to go to administrators and teachers and get them to instill that learning is important at an early age,” Cyril offered.

Deluc stressed the importance of having good mentors. We need teachers that actually care,” she said. All of the panelists were able to name a teacher or administrator who has offered them support and advice and encouraged them to serve their community.

Pang and Patterson, for example, were encouraged to serve as student liaisons to the West Haven Board of Education. Patterson said they work to get students and everyone to participate more their schools” and relay important information to the board members.

Shäni played the self-proclaimed devil’s advocate” throughout the panel, by asking tough questions to challenge the students to come up with concrete solutions. What are some of the things we can do to prevent diseases and reduce the cost of health care?” she asked the 16 – 18 year-olds, who appeared unfazed by the complex policy question.

The unanimous answer? Preventive health care. Health care could be a lot easier for people if they could get preventative medicine” rather than expensive and risky surgeries down the line, offered Morrissey. We’re a world power and we can’t provide for own people.”

What are you going to do during your senior years to educate about preventative health care?” Shäni asked.

Deluc said that they should organize school-wide educational assemblies to increase awareness. Patterson said getting people to realize that universal is a health care is a moral right and an obligation.”

You’re going to make a commitment to doing that for your senior year?” Shäni pressed. The students said yes. 

I’m going to hold you to it.” Shäni warned with a smile. Looks like applying to college will have to be put on the back burner.

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