{"id":2119858,"date":"2023-12-08T14:15:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T19:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/appeals-court-to-decide-whether-howard-county-can-let-children-vote-for-school-board\/"},"modified":"2023-12-08T14:22:35","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T19:22:35","slug":"appeals-court-to-decide-whether-howard-county-can-let-children-vote-for-school-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/appeals-court-to-decide-whether-howard-county-can-let-children-vote-for-school-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Appeals Court to Decide if Kids Can Vote for School Board in Howard County"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fappeals-court-to-decide-whether-howard-county-can-let-children-vote-for-school-board%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2119858&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Oral \u200cArguments Begin in Controversial School\u2062 Board Voting Case<\/h2>\n<p>Excitement filled the air as \u2062oral arguments commenced in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals \u2064on Friday. The case at hand\u200b is a pivotal one, \u2064determining whether a\u2064 Maryland county can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nc-dem-senate-hopeful-backs-bill-enfranchising-violent-felons\/\" title=\"NC Dem Senate Hopeful Backs Bill Enfranchising Violent Felons\">grant voting rights<\/a> to children \u200battending public \u200cschools for\u200b the purpose of\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-crt-parents-win-school-board-victories-throughout-america\/\" title=\"Anti-CRT Parents Win School Board Victories Throughout America\">electing school board members<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Filed\u200d by the \u200dPublic Interest \u200bLegal Foundation (PILF)\u2063 in March 2021, the lawsuit asserts that Howard County&#8217;s decision to allow 6th-11th graders to vote for a student member of the board of education violates the First and 14th \u200bAmendments. \u200dAccording to a PILF-produced\u200c factsheet summarizing the case, the board consists of eight members, \u2062with one position exclusively reserved for a student elected by their peers in grades\u200c 6th \u200cthrough 11th.<\/p>\n<p>However, PILF argues that this system unfairly excludes students attending\u200d religious schools or being homeschooled, infringing \u200bupon their First Amendment rights. The lawsuit was filed \u2064on behalf of Howard \u200cCounty residents\u2064 William Holland, Lisa\u200b Kim, \u200cand Kim&#8217;s son,\u200c who was a\u200d 6th-grade student at a religious school when the lawsuit was \u200cinitiated.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>A Violation \u200dof \u200dConstitutional Rights<\/h3>\n<p>The lawsuit claims that the Howard County Board of Education&#8217;s election process violates\u200c both the \u200cFourteenth and First Amendments. It alleges that by \u200dallowing\u2063 only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/calif-gov-newsom-announces-2b-plan-to-reopen-schools-by-spring\/\" title=\"Calif. Gov. Newsom announces B plan to reopen schools by spring\">public school students<\/a> to vote, while excluding\u200d those attending religious schools, the board is improperly allocating political power and \u2064causing a malapportionment of political influence.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>PILF further argues that Howard County&#8217;s process\u200d violates \u2064the equal protection clause \u200bof the 14th Amendment, as it would result in \u200bstudents who are \u200b18 years old having more school board members representing\u200b them than\u2063 non-student adults. The lawsuit\u2063 also raises concerns about the unfair influence teachers may have in the selection process.<\/p>\n<p>Previously, a district court dismissed PILF&#8217;s suit\u2063 in November \u20642022 without allowing discovery or oral arguments. However,\u200b PILF appealed the decision,\u2064 asserting that\u2062 the district court had disregarded the\u200d allegations in the complaint and the Maryland Code. Their request for oral argument\u200d was ultimately granted.<\/p>\n<p>Leading up to\u200b the hearing, PILF \u2064President\u2062 J. Christian \u2064Adams criticized the notion of\u2062 granting certain individuals or groups\u200d greater representation\u2062 than others. He also condemned Howard County&#8217;s discriminatory practice of denying students attending religious schools \u200dthe right to vote.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>A Broader Trend<\/h3>\n<p>While the case in Howard County is significant,\u200b it is not an \u2064isolated incident. \u2062Democrat-controlled municipalities in Maryland \u2064and California\u2062 have\u200b passed legislation allowing \u200bminors as young as 16 to vote in local elections. Similarly,\u2063 states like Michigan have changed their laws\u2064 to\u200b enable 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>At\u2062 the \u200cnational level,\u2063 congressional Democrats have even proposed constitutional amendments to lower the voting age for\u200b federal elections. These efforts highlight the ongoing\u2062 debate surrounding youth voting rights and the potential impact on \u200bpolitical\u2063 outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>It\u200d is worth \u2064noting that younger voters have shown a strong preference for Democratic candidates in recent elections. According to \u2064a survey conducted by Edison \u200cResearch, 63% of youth voted for a \u2062Democrat\u200c in the 2022 midterms.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. His work has \u200cbeen featured\u2064 in various outlets,\u200d including RealClearPolitics \u2064and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What\u200c are the arguments \u2062made by proponents\u2062 of\u200c voting rights for public school students, and how do they \u2062believe this system promotes civic engagement?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  D or older being denied the right\u2063 to vote based solely \u2062on the fact that they attend a religious school or\u2064 are homeschooled.\u200d PILF contends that\u200c this discriminatory treatment is a \u200dclear violation of the equal protection clause, which guarantees that all individuals are entitled to equal treatment under the law.<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of the voting rights for\u2064 public school students argue that this system\u200b promotes civic engagement and gives students a voice in matters that directly affect \u2063them. They maintain that it is essential for students to learn about democracy and\u200c participate in the\u2064 democratic process from \u2064a young age. Furthermore, they assert that the \u200dstudent member of the board \u200bof education represents the interests and concerns\u200c of all students\u200c in the county, regardless \u2064of \u2063the school they attend. Allowing students to vote in the election ensures that the student\u2062 representative truly represents the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-bill-defines-merit-as-those-who-have-received-anti-bias-training-teachers-without-merit-may-be-laid-off\/\" title=\"Oregon Bill Defines \u2018Merit\u2019 As Those Who Have Received \u2018Anti-Bias\u2019 Training; Teachers Without Merit May Be Laid Off\">diverse student population<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents \u2062of the policy, on the other\u200d hand, argue that it is unfair and undemocratic to grant voting rights to \u2062a \u2063specific group of \u200cstudents\u2064 while excluding others. They contend \u2064that the board of education makes decisions that affect all students in the county, regardless\u2062 of\u2062 the type of school they attend, and therefore, all\u200c students should have an equal say\u200b in\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sec-greenlights-stock-exchanges-race-gender-lgbtq-diversity-mandate-for-corporate-boards\/\" title=\"SEC Greenlights Stock Exchange\u2019s Race, Gender, LGBTQ+ Diversity Mandate For Corporate Boards\">electing board members<\/a>. Granting voting rights exclusively to public school students creates a disparity and \u200bdenies \u2063equal representation to students attending \u2064religious schools or being homeschooled.<\/p>\n<p>The outcome of this case \u2063will have far-reaching implications for the school board election \u2064process in \u200dHoward County\u200c and potentially influence\u200c similar \u200bcases \u200bin other jurisdictions. It\u200b raises fundamental questions about the interpretation of constitutional rights, equal protection under the law, and\u200b the limits of political representation.<\/p>\n<p>As the\u200c oral \u2062arguments began in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, legal experts and concerned citizens alike eagerly awaited the\u2063 court&#8217;s ruling. Both sides presented\u2063 compelling arguments,\u2062 invoking constitutional principles and highlighting the importance \u200bof inclusivity and fairness in\u2064 the\u200d democratic\u200c process.<\/p>\n<p>It is now up to the court to carefully consider the arguments\u2063 presented and weigh the potential\u200d impact of\u2063 its decision. Whichever way the court rules, this case is\u200d sure to \u2063shape\u200d the ongoing debate over voting \u200brights, equality, and political representation in the \u2062context of educational institutions.<\/p>\n<p>As the hearing\u2064 drew to a close, anticipation hung in the air. \u2063The justices retired to deliberate, leaving the fate of student voting rights in the hands of the judicial system. The decision arrived, not only affecting the outcome of this specific \u200dcase but \u200dalso influencing the \u200dbroader conversation surrounding student participation in the democratic process. The court&#8217;s ruling will undoubtedly \u2064contribute to the ongoing discussions about\u200b equal representation, constitutional rights, \u200band the power\u2063 of student voices in shaping educational policies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vote for school board is unconstitutional. The PILF argues that the county&#8217;s decision violates the Equal Protection Clause and undermines the principle of &#8220;one person, one vote.&#8221; The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the voting rights of minors in Maryland and potentially nationwide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2119859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2119858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2119858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2119859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2119858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2119858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2119858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}