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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was I unreasonable to rig the school council election?

352 replies

Coffeeandteach · 04/09/2020 21:33

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

OP posts:
Witchend · 05/09/2020 00:30

By saying you recognised them from seeing them get awards in the past, you have made a judgement that maybe isn't true.
You have judged them without knowing them well enough to do that. Maybe they got those opportunities because the previous teacher recognised they were lacking in confidence.

You are being just as fickle as the children who voted for their friend. You have voted against them because you have deemed them to be popular because they have dkbe things in the past-which doesn't necessarily follow.

People here are thinking "oh that could have been my child who was put in" but the reality they could just as easily been the child who got the votes and then wasn't awarded the position.
I think that's pretty nasty really.

Namenic · 05/09/2020 00:44

YABU - process should be transparent. It’s ok for teachers to have a say, but kids should know that.

If you want to improve representation, then perhaps have some positions for officers for extra curricular or environment or inclusion which are nominated by teachers.

Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 05/09/2020 00:49

Well done you OP!

Stannisbaratheonsboxofmatches · 05/09/2020 00:50

My dd is a lovely, immaculately behave kid. Didn’t get school council from when it started in yr1 until yr 6, despite writing her own, heartfelt speech each year.
Finally got it in yr 6 much to her delight. Spent half the year at home in lockdown.

Nandocushion · 05/09/2020 00:53

You're fucking awesome, OP.

ouch321 · 05/09/2020 00:58

We learnt this lesson.

Now, people apply, then the top two are chosen by the staff. The two candidates are then voted on by the kids.

So the kids get some input and see democracy in action but it also ensures we don't get someone who see it as a joke role.

pallisers · 05/09/2020 01:09

I recognised the other children from seeing them playing the main parts in school plays or being picked to stand up at the front of our weekly 'well done'assembly.

Surely as a teacher you understand that not every kid wants to be in a school play or perform at an assembly? (my two older children hated doing that). So you are judging the kids who are ok with performances as being somehow these evil masterminds who have faked their classmates into voting for them. Honestly I would not want you as a teacher. You take a lazy way out of dealing with a problem of inclusion - and then post on MN so you can get all the "you are a hero" accolades.

Loads of ways you and your school could have dealt with this problem - if it is a problem. but you chose to cheat.

Bluewavescrashing · 05/09/2020 01:10

This is one of the scenarios when teacher judgement trumps fairness. You did the right thing and the kids will never know.

LoisWilkersonslastnerve · 05/09/2020 01:26

Yabu. You have cheated. What you should have done is changed the system to teacher selects candidates, children vote. I do know where you are coming from, my DS was that hard working but quiet child and it did dent his confidence never being picked for anything.

Timekeeper2 · 05/09/2020 02:07

OP, YANBU and much respect to you! Thank you and congratulations! (from an overlooked and unpopular child who in high school ran for something, had signs and even had a good speech prepared that I delivered, and my only opponent was popular and 'left her speech at home' do I was the only one who delivered a speech. Admittedly there were only 3 votes difference in the end, but when you show up, turn up, do the work, do the speech, and your opponent coasts in after really not even trying (and admitted later they didn't really want it) it is very dispiriting. So, thank you from my 16 year old self. Flowers
*At 43 I still feel resentful and cheated, lol. Not really, I am facebook friends with her, she has become a really decent and hardworking selfless person.

pallisers · 05/09/2020 02:43

Change the system - that might be hard to do. Cheating is easy.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 05/09/2020 06:25

Good for you. My son ran for Student Council representative for his class. He interviewed teachers and students, found out what they wanted changed and improved. Investigated what could - or could not - be done. Wrote and gave a really good speech. His teacher said it was the best she had heard in a few years.
His opponent did nothing, but said in his speech - "I am on the varsity football team. I want to be student council rep because it will look good on my college application." He won. Of course. After six weeks he resigned because it took too much time away from football practice.

Qwadratic · 05/09/2020 06:38

I’m a teacher. My form rep elections were quite often the victim of some electoral irregularities Wink.

DullDullWeather · 05/09/2020 06:41

YANBU at all

Good on you OP

MsTSwift · 05/09/2020 06:45

But do you really know what goes on? There’s a girl in dds class who puts on a great show for parents and teachers they all think she’s marvellous lovely little enthusiastic trouper but she’s a vile little madam to her peers. My concern is the wool has been pulled over your eyes by your little favourite...

RedHelenB · 05/09/2020 06:49

If it was done by votes and the candidate that got the most didnt get it then I'm sorry but yabvu and unprofessional. It wasnt supposed to be your decision otherwise you could have appointed this nice middling person you were on about. I hope to goodness this doesn't get found out as it's not a good way to teach children about democracy.

OutComeTheWolves · 05/09/2020 06:54

I do this all the time. The democracy in this country is flawed anyway and based massively on media manipulation and smoke and mirrors, might as well get the kids used to the idea that what they vote for probably isn't what they're going to get!

Tenner · 05/09/2020 07:07

Good job - my DC is writing long and really thought through applications every year as does my friend's DD. They never get it - it is always the queen bee and DD of the PTA who wins. We could do with a teacher like you!

user1471530109 · 05/09/2020 07:15

I've done this at various times over the years as a form tutor.
Unfortunately my dd at primary has applied every year. She's got her hopes up, spent hours working on it and crushed because the same kid from her class wins every time. It absolutely breaks her heart. She's about to do it all again in year 6. She even said she knows it will happen again.
I even spoke to the head about it Blush and even admitted I rig elections to allow others to get a chance to shine. I was told that's not how an democratic election works.

So. I will have to support my dd yet again.

OP- thank you Flowers for doing it. You made that middle of the road kid so happy. The popular kid will have learnt a lesson too.

LolaSmiles · 05/09/2020 07:21

YANBU to discount a candidate who didn't bother with the process and said 'vote for me because I'm the most popular'. Those situations often end up with someone whose not that interested relying on social currency to get in and then they don't bother, whilst those children who really would have enjoyed the opportunity and put the effort in miss out.

It would have been unreasonable to discount a candidate just for being popular if they'd done a good speech and had good ideas.

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 05/09/2020 07:22

I've not voted because i'm so on the fence.
On one hand I agree it's annoying when the same popular children get picked for key roles over and over

but

You've taken the lazy way out. You could have changed the system, made it anonymous or counted teacher votes. Also you seem to have judged the popular child negatively without getting to know them. Why are they popular? maybe it's because they're a good friend/kind and other children like them for a good reason?
On your reasoning popular children shouldn't get picked for anything so where's the incentive for them to be nice/ try their best?

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 05/09/2020 07:27

I voted that you were being unreasonable.

I think if it was happening year after year you should have changed the selection process-not the outcome.

I am clearly in the minority but don't think that telling the students there is one selection process and then just selecting the candidate of your choice-however noble- is teaching the right lessons.

MsTSwift · 05/09/2020 07:29

Very high handed behaviour. And maybe you have been totally played by your favourite- I know several girls I thought were lovely but in the playground the opposite is true...

MsTSwift · 05/09/2020 07:32

Dd2 always won any popularity vote late primary because she didn’t huddle in one friendship group and was genuinely friends with boys too unlike many of the other girls.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 05/09/2020 07:33

@Relocatingtohome

My daughter's school has a lovely system.

Each girl writes a manifesto -and they are NOT allowed to put in identifying information. They tick the box to say if they want to stand for election. But each girl writes the manifesto regardless.

This year 10 girls put themselves forward. The teacher reads each manifesto in turn. The girls vote. Teacher also has a vote.

Seems to work -each year someone new does it.

I like that idea.
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