High School Students Agree It ‘Pays’ To Speak Out

By Larissa Lytwyn

The school board’s decision last week to charge $40 for multiple club participation, exempting some “part-time” workers including the Drama Club makeup artists, ticket takers, and technology crew, received mixed reaction from students.

“Since the decision has been made, no money has been collected yet,” said Newtown High School senior Leslie Greenfield, student director of the school’s upcoming production, Noises Off!

When news of the $40 fee first reached Drama Club members, she helped form a student committee to learn more about the charge and try to counteract it. She said the compromise was a “victory” for students because it prevented high school students from paying $40 fee for each extracurricular activity they were a part of, she said.

“Becoming involved in this issue formed my conception of town government,” Leslie noted. Before the fee situation, she admitted, she knew virtually nothing about the process.

“I definitely think students will be more involved now, attending more meetings and making ourselves heard,” she said.

School board members have encouraged student involvement, particularly during the upcoming budget meetings. School administrations are currently drafting their proposals and plan to present them to the Board of Education next month.

As for dissent among students themselves, Leslie said, misconceptions about the student committee itself abounded.

“Some people thought that we were just worried about ourselves, that we weren’t representing all students,” Leslie said.

There is a lot of misinformation about budgetary details that continues today, she continued. “I think it’s something that been around town for a while!” she laughed.

“I don’t think people still understand exactly where their $40 is going,” she added.

Michael Compagnoni, also a Newtown High School senior, continues to question the fees’ legality. He believes board attorney Frederick Dorsey’s statement that club participation is a privilege and not a right was too vague.

“Did they tell the attorney everything that the students were saying?” he asked.

He also said that the compromise presented by Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff presented at the November 5 school board meeting was not initially given to student club members.

“These possibilities had all been discussed, but we had never seen a formal proposal of any kind [prior to the meeting],” said Michael.

He doubts that the $35,000 estimated to be collected through student-generated fees will come to pass. “I know a lot of students who cannot afford to pay and will not pay,” said Michael.