Dear Mr. Duncan,
Congratulations on your new position as Secretary of Education! My name is Toni, and I’m a New York City high-school student.
I hope you didn’t just stop reading this letter.
I hope that sometime in your busy next four years, you decide to pause for a second and lend an ear to us. The students. Maybe read our blogs. Consider having student advisors. Look up from the policies you’re signing, ones that will change our lives more than anyone else's. Ask us what we think.
Whenever a new education policy comes out, newspapers are filled with the reactions of parents, teachers, administrators and unions. Ironically enough, no one seems particularly interested in the student perspective. You might consider including students in decision-making during the next four (or eight) years. Maybe you'll have an advisory board or some kind of representative student council from around the country. Surprisingly, we have valuable opinions on what makes a good learning environment, a good teacher and a good school. We understand the value of arts education, and the difference between good tests and ones that are a waste of our learning time.
This year, high school students, myself included, turned out in tens of thousands to elect our new president. We are thrilled about his victory. He is in charge of bringing the change we need to this country. And now you are in charge of bringing the change we need to our schools. We the students have lots of ideas. All you have to do is ask.
Thank you and good luck,
Toni Bruno
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