Interview for ex-WWASPS Students

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                               A 25 question interview of ex-students who attended WWASPS schools. Answers to each question can be found on the page links below.
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Question 8. All WWASPS programs have a ‘Student Council’, where your peers judge you and determine whether you are allowed to move up in your levels. Did you ever think there was any corruption (for example, ‘living above the law’, holding grudges, special attention to friends) on Student Council, or did you feel their dealings were always fair?

"I was on the student council and I witnessed favoritism first hand.  It happened very frequently.  SC members were supposed to check on students that were voting up and we never did.  We went by popularity and if we knew them personally." - Anon, Casa by the Sea

"Yes, it was definitely unfair. When you put kids in charge of kids there's usually chaos. That's all this place was was structured chaos.  It's all political. In order to make yourself look better to the people at the top, you had to show your authority to the people at the bottom. I was never "voted up". Just once, I only made it to level 2. Nobody ever voted me for level 3. It made the upper level kids look like they were being an appropriate authority figure if they voted up whoever was the best "Stepford child". You can't vote everyone up at the same time otherwise it looked like you weren't making clear choices. If you did you were "avoiding the issue". So you picked and chose who you wanted, and I was never one of them. Like I said, being the "ghost of the family", I seemed to never have any of the privileges of someone who came across as happier or more social or popular than me. It's like high school except in a sick demented twilight zone type way. It was horrible." - C.A., Casa by the Sea

"I was not allowed to be on Student Council because Luke (Administrator) was my cousin. I was told by a few upper levels that the reason they wouldn't let me move up a level was because Luke said to make it harder on me so I wouldn't look special cased. And no, I believe it was a popularity contest, we were all little kids judging each other, and power tripping. When I finally got to level 5, I had to act tough from being told I was to nice and not giving out enough consequences to the lower levels." - J.C., Casa by the Sea

"I think Student Council was a joke that gave people this sense of power that they didn’t deserve. Most of the student council were breaking the rules and having sexual relationships with the guys on the other side of the school, yet they felt they could judge me and deny me levels for little things like I don’t have enough confidence. REALLY? The program made it impossible to have any confidence when they demean you and everything you do." - A.E., Casa by the Sea

"There was corruption. Even if you followed all the rules and did what ever you were told, you couldn't get up a level if you were un- popular. When I was on upper levels I regrettably rejected people just because I didn't want competition or because they were not my friends." - B.B., Ivy Ridge & Tranquility Bay

"I certainly felt that at times the upper levels lived above the law, but Tranquility Bay was so strict that they lost levels as quickly as we did.  One girl was on level six and apparently had inappropriate relations with another upper level boy.  She lost all of her points and when she started to protest, was restrained and taken to OP.  It was very shocking." - C.M., Tranquility Bay

"There are always going to be grudges with people and yes it was just the wrong way to do things. I believe that a counselor that you spent at least three hours a week with should have given the ok in a system like that." - Anon, Casa by the Sea

"To be honest, I never had a problem with this. I think I never really had to vote up multiple times except for my first level 3 vote up form; I think I got supported. But I did see lots of corruption. I never was on the council, but I remember as an upper level hearing much discussing about how they were going to deny someone because “they” were losers. Some of the council members were my roommates, and I also remember seeing some people just getting supported just because. If you were friends with the shift leader, you had the easiest assignments as an upper level. To be honest, I was kinda favored, so I can’t complain. But if I was in the opposite side, getting screwed, I would be bothered." - J.K., Casa by the Sea

"I felt like I was sickly nice to everyone so that they would vote up my levels.  I would make sure that I talked to everyone before voting, asking for “feedback” on what I still needed to do before moving up.  I definitely didn’t vote for people that I didn’t like though, because it gave me a sense of power where I felt completely powerless." - L.W., Cross Creek Manor

"Yes. I felt that being under student council you would basically get better treatment that everyone else.  From something as silly as private off ground trips. students power tripping , and tons of favoritism." - N.R., Casa by the Sea

"I don’t remember a student council." - C.L., Casa by the Sea

"Oh definitely there was special treatment and people who judged! I was on student council! Their dealings weren't always fair in my opinion. I had many fights with my fellow council members on the fact they wanted to keep someone down because they didn't like them. I always remembered that they were just doin what I was trying to do and get the fuck out of there. Granted, I was guilty of keeping someone down only because I knew they were bullshitting way too blatantly for me to put them up! Otherwise, they'd have my support. I don't remember denying anyone that wasn't blatant tin their bullshit. Period." - G.A., Casa by the Sea

"I never had to deal with the student council." - A.T., Casa by the Sea