Overcoming the Senate

Recently, a bill that was to give full voting rights to the SMOB was passed in the House by a 92-39 vote, but the bill was not passed in the Senate.  Sen. Brian E. Frosh of Bethesda echoed the thoughts of the Senate by saying,

"The student member is largely elected by nonvoting residents who do not pay county taxes and therefore do not have the same perspective as adult members."

  To argue his first point, though students do not vote in countywide elections and do not pay taxes does not mean that they are not constituents.  In fact, the decisions made by the Board of Educations most greatly affect the 144,046 students currently enrolled in Montgomery County, so shouldn't this student member have just as much power as the adults who are elected by the other constituents who will not be as affected by the decisions in the room?  Frosh also mentions that, "[They] do not have the same perspective as adult members."  Why would he want the student to have the same opinions of the adults?  The whole point of the SMOB is so that the board will hear the voice of the students, the most important constituents.  Shouldn't that very important voice have their own opinion and own vote on all issues?  I believe that for a SMOB to be elected by such a large constituency would mean that they would be responsible enough to make these decisions.  It is by these arguments that I propose that the SMOB should receive full voting rights.  Read the rest of the article here.