Student council is only a popularity contest

Homecoming, schoolwide reunions, fundraising events, et al…

I think it is quite obvious that many high school student councils are only concerned with trivial and low-prioirty events going on in the school.  The class presidents are generally the most popular and athletic students of the school.  The student body wouldn’t dare elect a student who has experience on the student council and has shown proven leadership quality.

Defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a council is “an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion” and “a group elected or appointed as an advisory or legislative body.”

The president and vice president of the student council (the popular students, remember?) do serve on the school’s advisory council, and the president serves on the school’s School Improvement Team, but that is about the extent of the student council advising the school.  The student council certainly does not have any legislative power in the school.

Among all other negative things about the student council, you must be a junior or senior to hold any officer position in the student council.  Apparently, the student council believes that the juniors and seniors are the most qualified to lead the student council.  They wouldn’t imagine giving a more qualified freshman or sophomore an officer position.

Some claim that the student council experience provides members with great leadership quality, but I have learned nothing substantial by being in the student council.  I do know that I have learned much more about the government and how to lead others in another organization that I am involved with.

The student council is not the student voice, especially when only the popular students are elected to high positions.  I am not an officer in the student council, and I feel that I have had much more influence in the school outside of the student council.  The student council would only hinder my voice.