As Mckenna, Emily, and I arrived late at the Long Beach Board Meeting, I was instantly transported to my senior year of high school. As ASB Vice President, I attended the Alhambra Board Meetings, and just like with Long Beach, there’s always traffic in Southern California. When I stepped into the board meeting, I was surprised, and relieved, to see that the entire meeting was being filmed; Alhambra Board Meetings were never filmed. The implementation of technology in Long Beach speak towards the city’s funding, transparency, and community interest. However, from a more cynical perspective, the use of technology can be tied to goal displacement. While technology is supposed to be an additional outlet for those with time conflicts, it ends up diminishing attendance and interest in the community overall. There’s no point in attending the meeting since it’s available online afterwards. …show more content…
During the times of rural schools, parents had a large representation in school decisions. As schools gained credibility in its curriculum and structure, parent involvement became less necessary. The improvement of schools in conjunction with the presence of technology undercuts the low parental attendance at the Long Beach Board Meeting, and more broadly, board meetings in general. Additionally, the role of students have also evolved over time. Back in the days of rural schooling, students suffered from excessive punishment from teachers, but their opinions weren’t accounted for until administrative progressives saw the ineffectiveness of the school system. Over time, schools have become more refined and communicative, especially with the addition of student liaisons at board meetings, reporting on their school’s events, activities, and