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| Get out the vote!! |
A hard fought campaign had
raged for the past few months. Opponents
laughed and greeted each other affably, even providing a few fist bumps for the
viewers.
Smiles continued until the
debate. Questions revealed the two
snarling beasts within. A week before
the election, mud-slinging began, followed by character assassination.
Voting Day came, with
sighs of relief from both sides and the candidates.
The ballots were carefully
counted, while candidates waited anxiously for THE announcement. Then it came.
Principal Brook’s voice
crackled through the PA: “For the Fifth
Grade President is Billy Hopkins and Vice-President Jimmy Rogers. Let’s all congratulate Billy and Jimmy for
such a great campaign.”
Crackle…hiss…
and then silence.
Mr. Harman cleared his
throat. “Well, then. Open your books to page twenty…”
Democracy is grass roots. Well done, young men.
ReplyDeleteEach took the issues to the people. They spoke.
DeleteLoved this, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI truly hope that school elections have not taken any cues from their adult(?) counterparts.
I don't know. It can get pretty nasty even at that grade level.
DeleteLet's hope that President Hopkins can unite the classroom :)
ReplyDeleteHe will to be bipartisan.
Deletethis brought back old old memories---when i was in probably 6th grade i was a campaign manager :)
ReplyDeleteCampaign manager? There must have been some serious campaigning.
DeletePlayground politics encapsulted. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until they get to Middle School.
DeleteBit of a let down there lol.
ReplyDeleteI am sure it can all be worked out.
DeleteFascinating story. Something to think about.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Elections and involvement in government starts at a cycle . Some move onto bullying, others continue life as noraml.
DeleteThey start early, don't they?
ReplyDeleteThey certainly do.
DeleteI wonder whether the mud-slinging and character assassination is innate - or learned...
ReplyDeleteGood question.
DeleteReal politics is a devious, underhanded, slimy element of our society, but someone's got to do it I suppose. Why can't more decent people become involved. Oh, for the innocence of school class politics--or maybe that where the nastiness really begins.
ReplyDeleteThis recent election I think just about every candidate I voted for lost. That's the story of my voting life.
Lee
Tossing It Out
If only elections were transparent, funds limited, campaigning time strictly kept to 6 months, etc. etc.
DeleteAnd so it starts
ReplyDeleteDemocracy in action!
DeleteThe only school campaign slogan I remember was, "Vote for Jacques. He will support you." Cute story, Susan!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Best campaign slogan ever!
DeleteI wonder if Billy and Jimmy will do a better job than most other politicians?
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have such things when I was in school.
We did not either. In the early 90s, suddenly 3rd graders and up had a student council, then class presidents, etc. Why, I don't know. It became a battleground of popularity.
DeleteWe didn't do this stuff back in Sweden when I was a kid. We just went to school. We had a very excellent sports program, but no teams that competed with other schools, no cheerleaders, no homecoming, no mean girls, no clicks, nothing like that. We just studied. We did have bands and school dances, but that was after schools on Saturday nights. I have no idea if this was good or bad. It certainly was different.
ReplyDeleteOh, that was excellent. Friendship and academic success were more important than the political correctness.
DeleteGreetings human, Susan,
ReplyDeleteI just read your pawsting to my human, Gary. It made him recall how he was elected Grade 8 pawsident, um president, way back when. Evidently, every girl in grade 8 voted for him. Well, that's what he likes to think.
Pawsitive wishes,
Penny :)
Mud slinging 5th graders... Reminds me, it's back to work tomorrow...
ReplyDelete