Student Members of the School Board Exercising Student Voice in Education Policy

Despite their growing presence, student members of school boards remain relatively neglected in extant research. Drawing on notions of situational and institutional power, this study examines how seven U.S. student members of the board enacted their roles during the challenging 2020-21 school year and how adults responded. Findings highlight not only the seriousness of purpose with which students worked to elevate concerns and act in the best interest of their peers, but also the various suppression tactics adults used to undermine or silence their voices. We identify five commonly experienced suppression tactics, each of which reflects the pervasiveness of adultism.