Modern Advocates for New Global Opinions
Students writingreal policyfor Virginia.
MANGO: Students writing real policy for Virginia.A free, student-run organization in Richmond, Virginia that turns debate skills into formal policy proposals for state and local government.
Now working on
Campaign 01Watched After the Bell
Guardrails for student monitoring software in Virginia schools
Stage 2 of 6: Drafted
- 4formal policy appeals written
- 3levels of government: General Assembly, Board of Education, school boards
- Freefor every student
MANGO began with a simple realization: students spend countless hours in Model United Nations debating some of the world's most important issues, writing resolutions, negotiating with other delegates, and proposing solutions, but those ideas rarely leave the conference room. We had been involved in Model UN and public speaking ourselves, and while we valued the skills and experiences it gave us, we began to wonder why students could not use those same skills to create real-world change.
Read our storyWho we are.
Who we are
MANGO started in Richmond about a year and a half ago. Four students founded it.
We began as a competitive Model UN and public speaking team. Now we also write formal policy appeals aimed at real reform on issues that affect Virginia students.
Free for middle and high school students.
Founders
- Neel ShahCo-founder
- Jeev DalawariCo-founder
- Anish RangaCo-founder
- Ishant MekalaCo-founder
Our campaigns
Two campaigns.Real reform.
Watched After the Bell.
Watched After the Bell
The issue
Many Virginia school divisions use monitoring software like GoGuardian, Gaggle, and Securly. It scans students' searches, emails, documents, and chats on school devices and accounts. Sometimes it runs around the clock and at home.
Virginia law protects how student data is stored. It says almost nothing about surveillance itself.
Where it's going
Three formal appeals with draft bill and policy language.
- Virginia General Assembly2027 session
- Virginia Board of Education
- Local school boards
We are also requesting records from Richmond-area school divisions under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Read the three proposalsWhat we're asking for
- 01Public inventory of monitoring tools and an annual report on alerts and outcomes
- 02No monitoring outside school hours, with narrow exceptions
- 03A trained human reviews every flag before any discipline or police contact
- 04Safeguards on police referrals
- 05No webcam, microphone, keystroke, or location tracking (except for lost or stolen devices)
- 06Deletion deadlines for alerts and monitoring data
- 07Plain-language notice to students and parents, plus a complaint process
- 08A state model policy from the Department of Education
A Score Is Not Proof.
A Score Is Not Proof
The issue
Schools increasingly use AI detection software that claims to spot AI-written work.
Research shows these tools produce false accusations. They also flag non-native English writers at higher rates.
A detector score alone should never be treated as proof of cheating.
Where it's going
A formal appeal to the Virginia General Assembly.
- Virginia General Assembly
Virginia passed laws in 2026 requiring school boards to adopt AI policies. The timing is right to set fair rules for detectors.
Read the proposalCampaign tracker
Where each proposal stands.
Campaign tracker
Watched After the Bell
General Assembly
Stage 2 of 6: Drafted- Researched: done
- Drafted: current stage
- Legal review: upcoming
- Submitted: upcoming
- Sponsor found: upcoming
- Bill filed: upcoming
A Statewide Standard
Board of Education
Stage 2 of 6: Drafted- Researched: done
- Drafted: current stage
- Legal review: upcoming
- Submitted: upcoming
- Sponsor found: upcoming
- Bill filed: upcoming
A Score Is Not Proof
General Assembly
Stage 2 of 6: Drafted- Researched: done
- Drafted: current stage
- Legal review: upcoming
- Submitted: upcoming
- Sponsor found: upcoming
- Bill filed: upcoming
We update this tracker when a proposal moves.
Legal review
Advised by Gordon Dodson.
Attorneys at the Gordon Dodson law firm advise MANGO. They review our policy work before it goes to lawmakers. Through our student submission program, they also review the best papers written by students across Virginia.
Submit a paper for reviewGot a policy idea?
Work with real lawyersto make it happen.
Got a policy idea? Work with real lawyers to make it happen.
Write a proposal on an issue that affects students. We review every paper, and the best ones go to the Gordon Dodson attorneys who advise MANGO.
- 1Day 1
Submit your paper
Send your proposal and a short summary through the submission form.
- 2Within 3 weeks
MANGO team review
You'll hear back within 3 weeks with feedback.
- 3If selected
Legal review
Selected papers are reviewed by our Gordon Dodson advisors.
- 4When ready
Published and featured
Your paper goes live in the Student Policy Library on our site.
Every submission gets a response within 3 weeks. No exceptions.
Bring it to your district
Want these protections in your school?
Want these protections in your school?
Our model policy is free to adopt. Send it to your school board.
A fairer early-warning model
We're working on a transparent, open-source model for identifying students who need support. It's meant as an alternative to the biased prediction systems used elsewhere.
How we work.
How we work
Step 1
Research
Research the issue and Virginia law.
Step 2
Write
Write formal policy papers and draft legislation, reviewed by our legal advisors.
Step 3
Submit
Submit them to legislators, the Board of Education, and school boards.
Getinvolved.
Get involved
Follow along
- Discord[Discord invite link]
- Instagram[Instagram link]