Was I unreasonable to rig the school council election?

[Coffeeandteach]

I can tell you who will win when I look at the list of candidates. Every year it annoys me that some lovely, often overlooked, somewhere in the middle child will put themselves forward and read a thoughtful speech (written all on their own, at school) but never wins. They lose out to either the most popular or the most able child.

The child who got the most votes today had a speech that consisted of only, "I should win because I am the most popular."

I broke. I rigged it. The lovely, overlooked, somewhere in the middle child was announced the winner and she was delighted (and will do a great job).

YABU- You are the Putin of teachers. Shame on you!

YANBU- Sometimes you have to help the little guy

@Incacat2

Absolutely the right thing. Lovely, quiet, well-behaved children get overlooked all the time. I'm in secondary and have made it my mission for the last few years to help these kind of kids to thrive. My own very quiet, but extremely hardworking daughter was nominated for a Jack Petchy this year. The reason? Always doing the right thing, even though she's so quiet What you did would have made that child's year.

Mine too! Wouldnt say boo to a goose but works hard, amazing manners and always helps others. Got trampled on at primary school but at senior school they really appreciate these qualities - platinum effort, work and behaviour 4 years in a row. Jack Petchy nomination last year and they teachers always say they wish they had more kids like that than the bulshy, me me me , over priviledged ones who get by on looks or popularity but are shallow and mean. At our school there is one boy who wins all the awards, but he is the quiet kid who thoroughly deserves all his wins, he isnt popular outside of the small group of friends (my kids friend) but he works his butt off, is amazingly kind and helpful, sweet, polite and pretty gifted at anything he turns his hands to. They seem to actively discourage awards being a popularity contest and it works.

Interesting and somewhat devious start for a young child on their education and life journey. Perhaps a taste of reality for the future of the next generation of leaders movers and shakers. On balance I think vote fixing is just that as instead of blatant cheating why not just appoint a teacher judging panel and say include an element of pupil choice too? You recognise that there are historically flaws in the system so you just need to fix the system not fix the "vote" as that is not the same. It is wrong to ask peers to vote if you already decided who will win. Just be transparent and clearly tell the children the new system will be mostly decided by the teacher but will also include an element of your overall choice. However the most likely winner will be the most able candidate (if more than one) as best technical candidate most benefiting role. This will be based on recent academic achievements, all round responsibility and helpful awareness, personal and social development and civic duty. Sounds fairer? At least the most able and best suited most capable but not necessarily most popular candidate will not be most disappointed!