California Principal Admits to Rigging Student Election for Daughter
The Washington Elementary School principal manipulated election results to award positions to runners-up, including her own child.
Arielle Curry, principal of Washington Elementary School in Santa Barbara, has admitted to overriding student election results to award two positions to runners-up, one of which was given to her own daughter.
Curry acknowledged her actions in a letter to families on Thursday, stating that she intervened after ballots were counted, causing candidates who had placed second to be awarded positions over the students chosen by their classmates. Her daughter was awarded the sixth-grade president position.
Following the discovery of the manipulation, Curry was placed on administrative leave on September 28. In her letter, she stated, “I led deliberations after the student votes were tallied that resulted in overriding the outcome of two positions.” She apologized for “allowing this practice to persist” and admitted that the school’s student officer selection process lacked “transparency and fairness.” Curry pledged to reform the election process, committing to making changes “moving forward.”
Curry returned to campus on Friday, but her presence did not quell the controversy, with parents and teachers reporting a divided school community experiencing emotional confrontations and harsh exchanges. Sources speaking to the Santa Barbara Independent on condition of anonymity indicated that the controversy had caused significant tension among students and staff, with the person who initially reported the alleged misconduct also facing verbal attacks.
The school district reportedly provided staff with information regarding whistleblower protections. The incident has raised questions about administrative interference in student elections, which are intended to teach democratic principles.
Washington Elementary, a gifted and talented education magnet school, holds elections where students campaign through posters and speeches. Approximately 200 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders cast their votes. Student government members gain privileges such as attending meetings outside of class, and the president has the opportunity to deliver the graduation speech. The student body also influences school activities.
District officials affirmed that the established policy requires the candidate with the most votes to win. John Becchio, assistant superintendent for human resources, stated, “The district expects that for student/ASB elections, the candidate with the most votes wins.” He also encouraged the community to respect student privacy and allow the school to move forward.
However, some members of the school community believe this issue extends beyond the current election. The anonymous parent and teacher suggested that the practice of favoring certain students in elections may have predated Curry's tenure, implying she inherited a tradition of selecting winners rather than strictly adhering to vote counts. They also expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Curry’s promised reforms, particularly regarding the outcome of the current year's election, given her focus on future changes. The question was raised, “Isn’t losing a good learning opportunity?”
Curry has a history with the Santa Barbara Unified School District, having previously served as principal of Santa Barbara Junior High and as an assistant principal at Washington and Franklin elementary schools.