TOWSON, Md. — Meet Kayla Drummond, a rising senior at Parkville High School and the newest addition to the Baltimore County Public Schools board.
Drummond began her position in July.
In May, Governor Wes Moore signed a bill into law, which took effect July 1, allowing the Baltimore County student board member the right to vote on the county budget.
The school system has put together a curriculum so that Drummond can learn the budgetary process.
“Been able to have an integral part in such a big part of students going to school it’s a big change, and I am very excited to take it on," Drummond said.
But this decision did not come without disagreement at the local and state levels.
Not everyone agrees a student should have a say in a school system budget, especially not one averaging $2.6 billion.
“I totally understand where they’re coming from, and everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I feel that since all of this is directed towards the students and the school system, which caters to the students having a student to be able to vote, it’s just such a an amazing important thing that is needed," Drummond said.
She says even though her vote does count, it is more symbolic than anything.
"I just have a vote, and a vote is important, but it’s not going to be like life or death, you know, it’s not gonna be just what I say goes no matter what nobody says anything else," she said.
Drummond also says it's important to her to be a good representative of students in Baltimore County Public Schools and to set the tone for future student board members.
“But I just don’t want to like let any of the students down, especially the ones that voted for me that have been here for me like since I first started," Drummond said.
The board had already passed the 2023-24 school budget before Drummond got her seat.
She will be able to have her vote count for the 2024-25 school budget.
