EDITORIAL: In Defense of the Class Officers

By Sushant Kunwar

This piece is a part of a two-part editorial about the class officer elections for the class of 2022. To read the other viewpoint by Grahm Reynolds, click here.

The Senior Class Advisors and Officers recently decided against holding class elections for the 2021-22 school year. There have been some opinions against this decision, but this decision was made with the interests of the class in mind. Class elections are an important way to provide the student body with representation. However, that only holds true in normal situations. What our class has gone through is, by no definition, normal.  

The COVID-19 pandemic took away two crucial years of planning and fundraising for our senior year events. Our sophomore year was cut short, and our junior year was ineffective, as many students remained virtual or only partially in school. 

The ideas that we came up with as Junior Class Officers were halted, and we’re finally able to start putting them into motion now. Having elections at this point would mean that these ideas would be postponed in the transition to the new officers, only further delaying the plans for our senior year. Other classes have had their elections, but they aren’t seniors. They have the time to plan out events and fundraisers that we don’t.

Throughout our high school career, it’s been made clear that senior year is the year to look forward to. It’s the year we have our class trip, graduation ceremony, senior prom, among other events. We want to make sure that all these events run smoothly, especially considering the unpredictability of the past few years. Senior year is the most critical year of the high school experience, and we want to make sure that we can fully enjoy it as seniors.

The purpose for not holding elections this year was not to suppress voices; it was to prevent any difficulties that might arise in this unprecedented time.

We also understand what class officers mean to some students: It’s an opportunity to have a voice, a way to leave a positive impact on the school, and be of assistance to one’s peers. That’s why there’ll be a Senior Advisory Committee. Students who want to participate in student government will have an opportunity. We want to give voices to students and make sure that all ideas are heard. That’s why we continue to post in the google classroom for opinions and statements about prom, activities, and senior year in general. 

The student body should also work to create a more favorable environment for our senior year. By actively engaging with the Class Officers and our Advisors, the class as a whole can strengthen our communication and build a cohesive vision for our senior year. It’s essential that we all do our part, whether it’s by paying our dues or taking part in the Senior Advisory Committee, to make the most out of our year.

The job of class officers is to represent the class and act in its best interest appropriately, and we’ll continue to do that. This year’s events must be exceptional to make up for the time we’ve lost as a class. We want to make sure that our high school experience is as memorable and positive as it can be.

We work for – not against – the students.

Editor's Note: In addition to being one of the editors of The Branford Buzz, Sushant is also the treasurer for the senior class.