No one on the Hawaii State Board of Education would second student member Wai Sam Lo’s motion for support for a proposal that would give voting rights to the student member.

Chairman Don Horner said she should not take the lack of a “second” as any indication that the board is disinterested in the students. 

“I fully appreciate the intent of what you are trying to achieve, which is a greater voice in public education, as the ‘customers,’ of education,” he said. “Please understand this board hopes to fully engage students and looks forward to that process. I think this board very much respects the student representative.”

Horner told Civil Beat that he is working with the Hawaii State Student Council to reorganize so its representative is more in touch with the state’s 180,000 students and can more effectively give them a voice on the board.