BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Shiva Rajbhandari was sworn in as a trustee for the Boise School Board in September 2022, the first student to ever run and win a school board election in Idaho. Now, Rajbhandari is preparing to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He plans to stay on the school board, according to a report from the Idaho Press.
“Chapel Hill has a lot of mentorship for me, which I’m really excited about. The public policy program there is world class,” Rajbhandari said during a phone interview with the Idaho Press. “I’m excited to be in the South. I think a lot of undertones that we have in the West are actually very overt in the South, specifically around race and class. I’m excited to see that and probably unpack a lot of stuff that you learn growing up in a place like Idaho.”
Rajbhandari’s plans to attend a university across the country have left some Boiseans concerned about his ability to be effective in his board position.
“Frankly, my real concern is whether or not Trustee Rajbhandari will be able to adequately serve all of our stakeholders as a full-time college student in North Carolina,” President of the board Dave Wagers said in a statement. “I think that one of the lessons we learned during the pandemic was that while some things can be done remotely, there’s no substitute for being in the classroom.”
Rajbhandari ran on the campaign promise that he would serve the full length of his two-year term unless he could be replaced by another student. From his perspective, resigning from his position on the board would be a broken promise, unless he could find a student to replace him.
After he was elected, Rajbhandari began working with students in the school district, looking to propose a policy to establish a student, non-voting position on the school board — something that exists in school boards across the United States.
“After some conversations among trustees, that policy was decided against,” Rajbhandari said. “That’s their decision, not mine, and I think, obviously, it’s a very flawed one because I think the voters spoke very clearly back in September when they said we want a student on the board. And I campaigned literally on that promise, but that’s a decision that the other trustees made.”
The policy was discussed during several governance committee meetings, Rajbhandari said. According to Rajbhandari, a policy like the one he proposed is proven to be impactful in enhancing student voice and guiding district policy making — something not every board member agreed on.
“As a board member, I believe that we’ve taken many positive steps to include more student input into board decisions,” Wagers said. “Rather than appoint one student to the board for a one year term, we have created the Student Advisory Committee, allowing us to train 15 students over several years to provide diverse student input.”
According to Wagers, Rajbhandari’s proposal to appoint a student to the board bypassed the requirements to hold public office in Idaho, defined in Idaho code and the Boise School District policy.
“The board governance committee did not believe that Trustee Rajbhandari’s proposals met those standards, nor the expectation of our voters. That’s why the board did not take any action,” Wagers said. “Trustees are elected or must face election for very good reason. Trust relies on accountability and transparency. Ultimately, trustees are held accountable by our patrons through the transparency of elections and not through appointment or status.”
Rajbhandari plans on attending all board meetings virtually, with intentions of staying connected with Boiseans as he attends university.
“When I make a campaign promise, I will never break that promise,” Rajbhandari said. “I know that I’m a highly qualified individual and I believe that the voters chose well. ... I believe that this is something that I will be able to work.”
The student advisory committee, while impressive, falls short of how student involvement can affect a school district, Rajbhandari said.
“I recognize that this is not actually how the system is supposed to work,” Rajbhandari said. “Students deserve representation on our school boards. That is an objective truth. There is no one who can represent student interest better than a student on the board.”
Rajbhandari’s term will end in September 2024.
Emily White is a reporter for the Idaho Press. She covers Boise and Ada County with an emphasis on education. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyWhite177 and email her at ewhite@idahopress.com
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