While mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, it’s always a fun surprise when the first group running for a committee follows me. Usually named by a series of their first initials, I almost always end up accepting the group’s request and follow them back. This marks the start of election season at Parker. I learn almost everything I need to know from Instagram campaigns, and that is why I think they are an accessible, strong, and smart way for students to promote themselves.

As someone who is invested in Student Government and holds multiple leadership positions, I may skim platforms occasionally if I’m not sure who to vote for. But if I just skim platforms, that means that there is little chance other upper school students really take the time to read them. I’m currently running for Model Home, and Instagram is such an easy way to post about my platform.

After reading a few bullet points of candidates’ main ideas, some fun facts about them, and seeing loads of baby pictures, my vote is sealed. When people complain that campaign accounts flood their feeds, I have one response: don’t follow them back. If it’s really that bothersome for people to see an “about me” slide on their feed and scroll through, they don’t have to follow them back. Although, I hope those same people attend debates and read platforms… because those are really the only other ways to make an informed decision on who to vote for. 

The cyber world is changing and we have to change with it. Almost every single big time politician has an Instagram account where they post updates on what they’ve been doing recently. Not just that, they all have ADS!! Parker Instagram campaigns are basically equivalent to political ads, except you can CHOOSE if you want to see it or not.

If we took a poll of all Upper School students and asked them whether or not they have ever read a platform, I have a good feeling that the number would be very low. Some students don’t even know where to find platforms, even though they have been emailed to all of us multiple times. This isn’t something to be ashamed of or looked down upon unless they have made their informed decision on who to vote for in some other way. That way is Instagram.