Sophomore Ashley Kozel fought negative criticism, anxiety to express her views at a BOE meeting. Despite some negative blowback, Kozel encourages students to lift up their voices.

The school board has had many controversies this year surrounding the superintendent, student involvement, and their choices regarding COVID-19. Parents and others in the community have many opinions about their choices and the people holding the school board positions. However, few students know what it is like, first hand, to go to a meeting and speak to the board. I am one of the few who do.

My experience speaking to the Board of Education (BOE) was something I was excited to do, but I was really nervous that my efforts would do nothing. Walking into the school administration meeting knowing I was going in front of the people who run everything in our school system was one of the most nerve-wracking things I’ve experienced. I had never talked to the majority of them and now I was going to tell them about a topic I felt strongly about: going back to school.

I told them that I was upset with them; I stood up for myself and all of my fellow students. I had to show the board that I knew that their original choices to transition to virtual and hybrid learning were wrong. I believed we needed to go back because of how many high school students failed one or more classes. The suicide and depression rates were going up and it needed to change. Many of these members had never taught a day in their lives; many probably hadn’t even been in a classroom since college. It felt like they weren’t aware what students had really been going through, inside and outside of school life, due to their virtual decision. I was determined to make them see what we were all missing.

Though I’m proud of myself and the few friends I went with, not everyone felt that way. I went and spoke my mind, but I am getting hate for speaking my mind from a lot of people. I get messages of people complaining or saying that it is my fault that we came back. I know it was an adjustment for everyone. I went to advocate for a lot of people because I knew I wasn’t the only one who was struggling with grades and mental health because of it.

I wasn’t the only one at that meeting to speak. One of my friends, sophomore Grace Milis, was with me. But, if I was getting hate, I knew she must be too.

Sophomore Grace Milis awaits her time to speak to the school board regarding student access to school. Milis advocated for a return to full-time schooling.

“Now that we are in person, my mental health has been better. My grades are back to where they should be. I couldn't be any happier than how I am right now,” she said. “Things may be hard. But I learned that I just need to push through. I knew that I wasn’t alone and I would gladly go and speak to the school board again for a good cause, no matter how much hate I get for it.”

I can’t let the negative voices get to me because at the end of the day, it was the decision of the school board. Those who wanted to remain in the remote world also had a chance to speak for what they wanted, and I wish they would have instead of just complaining after the fact. Maybe things would have been different. I want the student body to understand that even after their efforts to waive the parking pass fee, their voice doesn’t have to stop. I encourage them to speak their mind on what they believe in to the school board. It is a good experience and definitely something I will remember because I believe it will help everyone in the future.

Getting my voice heard brought me to something I never thought I could have gotten to while in school. I had never been the type of person to go and speak publicly. I was never the type of person to stand up to a higher authority. However, this experience has taught me that I do have a voice and it matters. We as students have voices and they matter.

If you believe in something enough, then you should stand up for it; show what you believe in. Everyone’s voice matters and should be heard. I definitely believe that being back five days a week is a good thing because it is helping our mental health, our grades, and shows that no matter what, Wildcats can bounce back from anything; we are going to get through this.

By Ashley Kozel

Published March 25, 2021

Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue VI

Student reflects on experience, necessity of raising voice to Board of Education