Maryland high court will hear challenge to student school board members

Maryland’s top court will consider whether counties violate the state constitution by having a high school student serve as a voting member on their school boards and having non-voting-age pupils elect that member.

The Court of Appeals last week agreed to hear an appeal by Howard County public school parents of a judge’s decision that the student member’s service and election by fellow pupils do not violate constitutional mandates that voters be at least 18 years old and that those in elected office be registered voters.

The Court of Appeals is expected to hear arguments in the case in November and render its decision by Aug. 31, 2022. The case is docketed at the high court as Traci Spiegel et al. v. Board of Education of Howard County, No. 18, September Term 2021.

“Maryland’s practice of allowing minors to serve in binding voting capacity on school boards is largely unique and unprecedented,” the parents’ attorney, Anthony M. Conti, wrote in their successful request for high court review. “No Maryland appellate court has ruled on the constitutionality of minors holding an office of general governmental power, nor has any Maryland appellate court ever decided whether any minor children aged 11 and older can validly elect or appoint a member to a governmental board possessing general governmental powers.”..

https://thedailyrecord.com/2021/06/25/md-high-court-will-hear-challenge-to-student-school-board-members/