It is seen all over American politics that a body of representatives should accurately represent the people that elected them. This is why many presidents make it a point to ensure that they choose a diverse cabinet. Why people care so much about the skin color and or gender of the president: representation. 

While this theme is heavy within the federal and local governments, within our own Erie student government, it has been thrown to the wayside. As 80 percent of our student government is girls, while only 20 percent are boys. This statistic is almost humorous as many, both girls and boys claim that women still have struggles gaining equality. In this case, that is flipped on its head. This inequality brings up one question: how does this happen?

The room for bias within the application process is slim; while current students in the class vote for the next round of applicants, names are removed and only the application is visible. For current students within the class, they are voted in or out for the next year. Unlike the process for new applicants, this isn’t anonymous. Creating room for bias as though it were an episode of a game show.  Even if there was partisan within that process, that wouldn’t account for a 60 percent difference between the two. This leaves a possibility that male applicants could be few and far between, thus causing only six male students out of thirty this year. Either way, this disparity doesn’t accurately represent the students of Erie High school. 

The reason why the federal government and their constituents care about the identity of those who lead them is simply this: perspective. As the government becomes more and more diverse, perspectives and thoughts become more and more different. This is what makes them more precise in their representation. Despite this many would argue that it’s more important that someone could just do their job, and that skin color or gender doesn’t matter, but we as a nation and culture are not at that point yet. That would only really work if each person and demographic had the same experience in life as the other. But in reality, a male will have a different perspective which is based on life experiences than a female. With all of this known, as the next wave of student government representatives is chosen by both the student body and current members it is imperative that all parties take this into consideration. 

Additionally, the student government fails to live up to the standards that they campaign upon. While our federal government doesn’t do much better, this isn’t a standard that should be followed. Last election cycle for Erie High, there were many promises dished out by everyone running for leadership positions. These have been rendered useless, as they have either been shut down by the administration, such as providing free feminine products in girls’ bathrooms, or they have been thrown out the window. Forgotten. 

But, deliverance is also not unheard of; when Dario Hinojosa was student body president he promised a powder puff, Mr. Tiger pageant, and a color fusion dance. While leading STUGO as president, they were able to deliver on all of those things, because they were doable. On the other hand our current student government has promised many things, and the school has remained unchanged.

One of their main purposes, aside from representing the student body, is to get their peers involved, done through planning events like homecoming and spirit days. While getting students involved is important, what is equally, or even more important is sparking change, and for the students outside of student government to hold them to higher standards as the next generation of Americans. Student government needs to be held accountable for both their promises, and for accurate representation of their constituents.