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No kidding, theives are elected in an Anhui school
It was an election, a very special election, held in the classroom of Bozhou Shuiweite Clothing Technical School April 15. Presided over by the school's principal surnamed Cai, it was an "election of thieves." The reason of the election was simple: Lots of things like clothes were stolen frequently from students' dormitories, but nobody could tell exactly who were the thieves. "Some students know who did it but they dare not tell, therefore, an anonymous election is a good way to pick out the thieves," said Cai. "By asking the students who know nothing to hand in a blank vote, the election results would be reliable." Determining the future and fate of 200 students, this election took the breath of everyone in the classroom. As the monitor called out the names voted, students looked at the "candidates" in a mysterious way. At the end of the day, some 40 students gave a name and six students were elected as the "thieves." After the election results were announced, Cai said those six students were the thieves. Being ordered to stand in front of some 100 schoolmates, some of the "thieves" bursted into tears. After all, four of the "thieves" remained silent and the other two claimed innocence. "I didn't steal anything, I got elected probably just beacuse I offended some people in daily conversations," said one of the "thieves." But this strange electrion caused a heated debates among the parents and students. However, Cai himself had no doubt about the accuracy of the election results, as this was already the third time such elections were held while the previous two did help to pick out the thieves. The first election was held in Janurary this year, when all voters went for the same name and a boy got elected. The second election came in Feburary and a girl was elected as the "thief", she confessed in a letter to the principal. Both of the students also paid the fine of 60 yuan. According to Professor Lao Kaisheng, director of the Education and Law Institute of the Beijing Normal University, "election of thieves" can have negative impacts on students' character and mentality concerning interpersonal relationship. "First, the personal rights of the students who got elected are clearly offended, and this may harm their future psychological development," he said. "On the other hand, students casting votes also directly harmed others' rights, and this is not good for them as well." "Students who got elected may have grudges against their classmates who partipated in the election, therefore it may also harm the unity of the class." Lao added. It is reported that some 20 days after the incident, the local education department required the school to close for rectification and ordered Principal Cai to apologize to the students and parents publicly. |
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