When I Ran For President
4th grade campaign promises
I ran for class president in 4th grade, and I won the election. I’m not sure how I won, because I didn’t make any campaign promises. I remember my mom telling me not to make promises I couldn’t keep, so I heeded her advice and just said I would do the morning announcements quickly, and that I would help everyone share their ideas with the teacher .
Sometimes I wonder if this teacher rigged the election so that my popular opponent wouldn’t win, but she counted the votes in front of everyone, so maybe I won fair and square.
My opponent had promised vending machines in the cafeteria, soda with lunch, extra time at recess, 10 minutes to play “seven up” at the end of each school day, and pizza parties on a regular basis. Who wouldn’t vote for that?
Fourth graders, as it turns out, are smart enough to see through unattainable campaign promises.
Imagine if my opponent had won. What would have happened a month or two into the school year when there were still no vending machines, no extra time at recess, no pizza parties, and no games?
Imagine if my opponent had gone to all of the teachers and administrators, demanding that they fund vending machines and pizza parties, only to be told that there’s no money for it (plus, it would be a…
