The exchange, brief as it was, hit a nerve. For some watching, it felt symbolic of a broader issue: students — the very people most affected by overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages — aren’t being given a seat at the table.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association has said the strike is about more than wages. Teachers are demanding smaller class sizes, more resources, and respect for the profession. Yet here was a student, raising those same concerns from a different angle, effectively silenced.

To their credit, the panelists later responded with politeness and respect. But the optics were hard to ignore: when young Albertans try to hold leaders accountable, are they truly being heard?

Moments like this matter because they highlight the disconnect between politics and the people who live its consequences. A muted mic can’t mute the frustration of students, teachers, and parents — and in many ways, it only makes their message louder.