Berks County High School Student Running For School Board

April 26, 2011 6:25 PM

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AMITY Twp., Pa. (CBS) – While most high school students use social media to catch up with friends, Connor Kurtz is using it to run for office. And we’re not talking about class president. Kurtz, a junior at Daniel Boone High School in Birdsboro, Pa., is running for school board.

“I believe that I could do a much better job than many members on the school board are currently doing,” he said. “I walk around the school, and I see things that just don’t make sense.”

While Kurtz is just 17 years old now, he is eligible to run because he will turn 18 in September, two months before the general election.

Watch the video…

He says he started going to school board meetings last August when he noticed the district flying flags in poor condition.

“I politely told them you cannot allow the American flag to fly in this condition, it’s disrespectful,” he said.

Three days later, he says, the flags were replaced. But Kurtz kept going back because he was interested in what the board was talking about.

“I realized they don’t know what they’re doing. They don’t have a plan,” he said. “It boggles my mind that you can be on the school board without a plan.”

Well, Kurtz has one. Surprisingly for a student, he wants to cut spending and lower taxes – even though he doesn’t pay taxes. He says he would implement an activity fee to help the district cut costs, and he would put in place a moratorium on purchasing new textbooks.

“You don’t have to pay taxes to know the taxes in Daniel Boone are too high,” he said.

So far Kurtz says he’s getting a lot of positive feedback from the community but not necessarily from the school board. Daniel Boone’s superintendent first agreed to speak with Eyewitness News but then canceled the interview.

“I think it’s great that he cares so deeply about the community and his school,” said Heather Kurtz, his mother. “I am concerned that he has a whole year of high school ahead of him, and we don’t know how the teachers might react.”

To find out, Connor first has to beat out three other candidates running for just one school board seat representing Amity Township.

Reported by Ben Simmoneau, CBS 3

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Berks County High School Student Running For School Board

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http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/05/18/berks-county-student-wins-spot-on-local-school-board/ Berks County Student Wins Spot On Local School Board « CBS Philly

[...] Connor Kurtz, a student at Daniel Boone High School in Birdsboro, Pa., easily won both the Republican and Democratic nominations for school board in Tuesday’s primary. That means he is essentially guaranteed to win the seat, representing Amity Township, in November. (see related story) [...]
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[...] By ( April 30, 2011 at 11:34 pm) · Filed under Education News While students are often encouraged to be proactive about their education, a Berks County high school student has taken that to a whole new level by running for a seat on the school board, reports CBS Philly. [...]
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Mux

Text Books for schools are a giant money making scam. They definately DO NOT need to replaced every year. In fact there are many text books that do not need to updated for many years. Early American History, English, Math, Science. Even books that would need to updated would be more econimcal to have updates for the books, instead of reproducing the entire book, just send out a supplemental chapter. I was in school way too many years ago but Algebra is still Algebra.

courtney

totally agree that it would be better to publish an update as opposed to reprinting an entirely new textbook, especially when there may only be 3 pages worth of a change throughout a book.

jo

We have student members. last year we had two…
JohnMichael

He definitely could do it if he cares this much about his district. I’m surprised they don’t have a position like this for students at his school. At my high school, I am Senior and one of two Student Representatives on our Board of Education. We have the same status as all the Board Members except we can’t vote on resolutions.
tim

I hope that in our haste to elect novel we don’t lose sight of those things that need to happen in order for the school district to function. The remark about text book funding is quite worisome and I’d really be hesitant to give responsibility to someone who doesn’t understand the needs of the district.
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Lauren

I hope he wins, we need more people like this to shake things up, and do whats right fro a change, instead of the same old policy makers who only care about giving themselves a raise and increasing taxes.

ChelC

I agree! I hope the town realizes a new face, new ideas, and a new outlook are refreshing and definitely needed. I don’t live anywhere near, otherwise I’d definitely give this kid my vote! How inspiring!

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Heather

This is the most awesome thing I have heard in a long time. If I lived there I would vote for him. Good luck, Connor!
carol

we have a collage studen for vice mayor in greenback tn
Seraphim0

The problem I see is the moratorium on new textbooks. Textbooks MUST be updated on a regular basis to keep ciriculum evolving. Really, he should be up for learning more about the impact of such a decision.

JM

Textbooks do not need to be replaced every years. Most textbooks that are replaced have the same information that was in there from the previous one. Just updated pictures and information. Get your facts straight!!!

Seraphim0

Actually, untrue. Try to get yours straight.

Jake

“textbooks must be updated on a regular basis to keep ciriculum evolving.” I could not disagree more with that statement. I use a micro-economics text-book from 1967, there’s not much difference in information in the 2010-2011 edition, just a different authors perspective. The only “evolution” i’ve seen in the classroom is new technology. The impact of this decision will be: Costs will be cut, allocating more money to be more effectively used elsewhere. It won’t affect cirriculum. There’s more to learning than textbooks.

Kathelleen

way to go. maybe i should do the same and I am only 39 years old. i just cant stand the politics that the school goes by. they do not care and like you said, there is no logic to anything that one does with the school. keep up the good work and do what you feel would benefit the school and tax payers.
Anonymous

It’s good to see someone trying to make a change! He’s not another paper pusher who sits on his/her hands and waits for his/her paycheck. Bunch of bums in office who care more about the money than doing the right thing for the community.