Approximately 350 high school students gathered in Murfreesboro on March 11, to express their views on public education in Tennessee at the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) Student Congress on Policies in Education (SCOPE). The event took place on the Middle Tennessee State University Campus.
SCOPE is designed to give students a voice where public education issues are concerned and to involve young people in finding solutions to the topics that are discussed. Attendees participated in mock school board sessions, where they assumed the roles of school board members, school officials, parents, students and concerned citizens. These sessions were led by actual school board members, superintendents and education leaders from across the state.
During the afternoon session, students selected a speaker to represent each of their small groups to take part in full-scale debates on current education issues. This year’s four debate topics included:
- Corporal punishment shall be prohibited in public schools.
- Prior to graduation, students shall be required to complete 48 hours of community service during their junior/senior years.
- The school calendar shall be increased from 180 to 200 days of instruction.
- Failing students shall be required to attend Saturday school for remedial instruction.
Following each debate, participants had the opportunity to vote to support or oppose the debate issues by participating in an online, SMS texting survey. All of the debate results from the conference can be found by
clicking here.
SCOPE delegates also elected the 2014 SCOPE officers from those underclassmen that took part in the debates. The 2014 SCOPE officers are:
- President: Julio Salazar, Morristown West High School, Hamblen County Schools
- First Vice President: Kemario Davis, George Washington Carver High School, Memphis City Schools
- Second Vice President: Amber Choice, Tyner Academy, Hamilton County Schools
There are four follow-up items from the SCOPE Conference:
- For a sample media release, click here.
- To download all student delegate group photos, officer photos and event photos, click here.
- For the SCOPE Packet, click here.
For more information contact TSBA at 800 448-6465 or visit www.tsba.net.