Principal Put On Leave After Interfering In Election, Making Own Child Class President

SANTA BARBARA, CA — An elementary school principal in Santa Barbara is back on campus following an administrative leave that came after she interfered with student election results, making her own child class president, despite vote totals that put the student in second place, according to reports.

Principal Arielle Curry was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 28 and returned to Washington Elementary School on Oct. 9, according to the Santa Barbara News-Press.

“This year, I led deliberations after the student votes were tallied that resulted in overriding the outcome of two positions: the President and one additional position,” Curry wrote in a letter to Washington families, the News-Press reported.

“In these cases, the runner-up candidates were selected instead of the candidates who received the most votes. This resulted in my own child being appointed president. I sincerely apologize for allowing this practice to persist.”

John Becchio, human resources assistant superintendent for the Santa Barbara Unified School District, told the Santa Barbara Independent that, “The district expects that for student/ASB elections, the candidate with the most votes wins.”

But in an email to school families to which Curry’s letter was attached, Becchio and Sonia Wilson, educational services assistant superintendent, stated that they were “confident” that Curry could lead the work of “supporting students and staff, strengthening relationships, and rebuilding trust across campus.”