Published October 1, 2026
By GRACE GRAHL
When Carmel High School junior Jasmine Jin, the 2026-27 CUSD school board representative, was researching roles and responsibilities for her position, she came across a section of the California Education Code which stated she was required by law to have a preferential vote, cast before official votes by the board. This vote wouldn’t be counted in the formal vote, but it would solidify students’ position on any given issue.
Yet no CUSD school board representative has ever received this vote, and when Jin brought this up to CUSD superintendent Sharon Ofek during a meeting in August between the two of them, Jin says Ofek asked her if they could discuss it later.
During the Sept. 9 board meeting, CUSD board president Matt Glazer said that the board is “working with staff, leadership adviser, Jasmine, and council to clarify how the student representative participates at future board meetings.”
As of Sept. 28, Jin has not received word whether she will have the preferential vote starting with the October board meeting.
“It’s important as a school board we are following the code given by the California Board of Education,” Jin says. “It’s important that students get to express their thoughts, and as the school board representative, it’s my entire responsibility to represent the voices of students in the school district.”
According to Section 35012 of the Education Code, “Preferential voting, as used in this section, means a formal expression of opinion that is recorded in the minutes and cast before the official vote of the governing board of the school district. A preferential vote shall not serve in determining the final numerical outcome of a vote. No preferential vote shall be solicited on matters subject to closed session discussion.”
During a presentation to the board, such as the results of last year’s California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress or a financial report during the board meeting on Sept. 9, Jin was able to ask questions, voice concerns and give her perspective as a student. However, when the board members officially voted, she was left out of the voice vote.
Although Jin has not yet been able to exercise her preferential vote, Ofek says the student board representative is able to share her perspective on topics and is able to be heard during board meetings.
“The student board member is an important role for schools throughout California,” says superintendent Sharon Ofek. “Like the student board members who served before her, Jasmine helps elevate the student voice and provides the student perspective on topics that come before the Board. She represents the students on the dais as the Board makes decisions that directly impact students.”
On the day of a board meeting, Ofek meets with the student board representative in the early afternoon to share the agenda and discuss what Jin will talk about during her allotted time. During one of these meetings with the superintendent, Jin says she asked about her preferential vote and how she could begin enacting that right. According to Jin, she feels this vote would allow her to cement her opinion rather than comments after a presentation vaguely revealing her feelings on a topic.
“I asked Ms. Ofek about it during our first meeting, and she told me she had reasons why she didn’t want to push for the vote to happen and she didn’t find it necessary because she thought I could speak or ask questions to express my concerns either way after presentations,” Jin remarks. “This preferential vote wouldn’t just be a vote given to me, it would be all the students who take on this role as board representative in the future.”
The role of student board representative was originally included in the job description for the CHS Associated Student Body president, but that changed for the 2024-25 school year when then-ASB president Marcus Mitchie proposed the change. Cullen Pritchard took on the responsibility for 2024-25. During Pritchard’s time in the role, he felt like Ofek and the other board members were helpful and accommodating to him and his goals.
“We are seeing the value of student representation firsthand,” says Ofek. “It is important that the student board members continue to share their and their peers’ perspectives during board discussions to make sure that the student voices they represent are part of the conversations and decisions that shape their educational experiences.”
Jasmine Jin, the secretary and treasurer of CHS Mock Trial, uses her skills of public speaking and articulate thinking in trials and during CUSD board meetings. courtesy of JASMINE JIN
Jin hopes to continue creating a bond with each school even though she frequently communicates with representatives from each school, so if one of the schools is facing an issue or wants to speak up, she can express their concerns and advocate for them effectively to the board members.
“As CUSD student board representative, it is my responsibility to make sure all voices, not just the students in Carmel High School, are all heard,” says Jin, also the president of the Principal’s Advisory Council. “I want to do my best to make sure I accurately represent all students of the school district at board meetings to the best of my ability.”
The next CUSD Board of Education Meeting is Oct. 7.
