Starchild has requested the wording of the Voting Age proposal submitted by LPSF guest Alan Wong. Alan is a student in the S.F. public school system, and visited our monthly meetings of February and March. At the March meeting, Alan distributed a handout containing the wording appearing below. There was a discussion, which I recorded in the Minutes for March and a vote to adopt or reject the proposal at the April meeting; I have also copied this discussion below. The proposal was referred to commitee during the April meeting without discussion.
I am copying this e-mail to Alan.
First: Alan's proposal, verbatim
"Proposal for Libertarian Party Agenda:
That the Libertarian Party of SF support underrepresented youth equity and rights
WHEREAS:
1. Many if not all college and school boards have no direct student input and voice to decisions made for their campuses and education
2. Students constitute a overwhelming majority of campus population
3. The situation is similar to "taxation without representation"
4. There are currently 2 students on the SF Board of Ed and 1 student on the SF college board as student representatives which have no (real) vote, undersupported and often disrespected.
5. Government often ignores the needs of students possibly due to the fact that students have no political power.
6. The Libertarian Party is a party of social reform, brings forth fights for equality and individual liberties to all
7. By the age of 16 students have the ability to drive cars and run over people - why not vote.
RESOLVED:
1. The Libertarian Party of SF will add to it's local platform (if made or it can be the only part of the platform) that it supports strong independent students that have total equity with adult board members on all boards that govern student campuses
2. The Libertarian Party of SF will strive to add the RESOLVED No 1 to the California state and National platforms
3. The Libertarian of SF shall support action changing the city charter or any other necessary legal changes to lower the voting age to 16."
[End of written proposal]
Second: Allan added verbally that he also would like to propose lowering the age at which a candidate could run for public office to 16.
Third: Entry from the Minutes appears below, verbatim:
"Voting Age Proposal
Guest Alan Wong, a student in the San Francisco public school system, presented the following proposal, and requested that the LPSF include it in its platform:
a. Although there are currently two students on the S.F. Board of Education and one student on the S.F. College Board, these students �have no (real) vote;� therefore, the LPSF should support �strong independent students that have total equity with adult board members on all boards that govern student campuses.�
b. �Government often ignores the needs of students possibly due to the fact that students have no political power;� therefore, the LPSF should �support action changing the city charter or any other necessary legal changes to lower the voting age to 16.�
The views of the membership were mainly as follows:
a. As long as parents and other responsible adults are charged with responsibility for the livelihood and education of children and youth, they need also to have authority.
b. Proposals by government officials, including lowering of the voting age, are designed to meet the government�s needs, not the needs of the constituency.
c. Libertarians are dedicated to finding alternatives to publicly funded schools; therefore, it would not be proper for the LPSF to endorse a proposal regarding the workings of the public school system.
Alan�s responded by saying that since there are public schools, students should be given as much power as possible to restrain the power of the government entities running the schools.
Marcy Berry moved that a vote to adopt or reject the proposal be postponed until the next LPSF meeting, when more members would be present. Kelly Simpson seconded."
[End of entry from Minutes]
Marcy