FISD aids in student voter registration
Although much of the focus was given to the presidential debate Tuesday night, local matters regarding school board elections were voted on the same night.
September 9, 2020
Students 18 and older in all government and economic courses will be given the opportunity to register to vote in class through Thursday and Friday.
“As a government teacher, you are trying to help students realize how a part of the process they can be and how they’re participatory whether it’s voting, or walking, or contributing to candidates,” government teacher Amanda Peters said. “It really shows their participation and their connection to policy changes that they want to see implemented and voting is the number one way that you can do that. If you want to support the legislation, if you want to get your Congressman to support your opinion, you have to vote them in.”
Districts across the state are required to help eligible students register to vote in some capacity, a responsibility FISD takes seriously.
“At each high school, there is someone or some group that promotes and reaches out to the seniors in those students turning 18 to get them to register and promote registering to vote and become an active participating voter in our political system,” superintendent Dr. Mike Waldrip said. “We do a lot of things in our high schools to get our students involved. Also, I have a superintendent’s advisory group, and last legislative session, we actually took, it’s 30 students it’s three students from every high school, we actually took that group of students down to Austin, to the legislative session, and they got to meet with some of our legislators and talk with some of our legislators. So it’s a really cool experience for all those students, so we try to do a lot to engage our students in the political process in Frisco.”
For junior Gabriel Toro, the ability to vote is a privilege he doesn’t take for granted.
“I registered to vote because once you’re 18 you already have your own political opinions and the right to vote is the best way for your views to be expressed in government and for your voice to be heard,” Toro said. “I think younger citizens should vote because it’s a privilege that unfortunately not everyone in the world has, and it’s a right that should be exercised if you are there and feel like you want to change or want to keep things the way they are.”
