What exactly are town halls? A town hall is an event where a politician or public official answers questions from the public. Depending on what the town hall is about, there can be various questions asked. Town halls help connect the public and the government by giving a branch for the public to get involved. It allows them to gain a better understanding of what is happening in their government and get any questions answered.
In our own Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), we have many town halls for a variety of reasons. The town halls are there so students, teachers, and parents can ask questions that are important to them. Constituents can express their concerns and opinions with representatives and play an important part in creating change. Specifically, middle and high school students have started attending town halls to share their thoughts.
Our Student Member of the Board (SMOB) often holds town halls to listen to students’ opinions on various topics that pertain to them. This could vary from policies that could be implemented in the schools or academics. Recently, the SMOB Hana O’looney held a town hall on March 10th, 2022, where students asked questions about lunch, graduation venues, academic successes, and technology. She was able to directly speak with attendees and take note of their concerns, bringing up many of the issues to the Board of Education after the town hall.
Town halls are useful in many aspects for our schools. They allow voices to be heard that would otherwise not be heard. They allow different questions to be asked without scrutiny from others. Officials can answer questions that vary on different topics. Town halls are important to communities and keep them thriving and running smoothly. The Superintendent has also held town halls to get questions answered about the schools they oversee and about their policies.
Recently, MCPS held an Environmental Sustainability Student Town Hall on March 22, 2022, where over 300 students had the opportunity to learn about a proposed MCPS Sustainability Policy and the work that MCPS is doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Students were able to ask questions regarding the implementation of such policies, including “green features in school buildings, environmental education, electric school buses and efficient transportation, and reducing food waste.” To watch a recording of the town hall, visit MCPSTV’s Youtube Channel.
Town halls are a great way to get your questions answered by someone who knows a lot about the topic. Town halls are important to student advocacy because they allow students’ voices to be heard. It is a safe area for questions to be asked, ideas to be brought up, and thoughts to be addressed.
Written by Isabella Silver of Winston Churchill High School
Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Council