Washington Elementary Principal Returns to Role After Student Election Leave

Santa Barbara Santa Maria San Luis Obispo, CA, October 12, 2026 — Arielle Curry, the principal of Washington Elementary School, has resumed her duties following an 8-day administrative leave. The Santa Barbara Unified School District placed Curry on leave after a recent student election at the school became a subject of controversy.

The controversy stemmed from the election for student president. According to reports, the student who received the most votes was not declared the winner. Instead, the runner-up position, held by Principal Curry’s child, was announced as the elected president.

In response to the events, the Santa Barbara Unified School District initiated an administrative leave for Principal Curry. During this period, the district reviewed the circumstances surrounding the student election.

Following the review and her return, Principal Curry acknowledged that the election process at Washington Elementary had issues. She stated that the process lacked transparency and fairness. Curry has committed to working on implementing improvements to ensure future student elections are conducted in a more equitable manner.

The duration of Principal Curry’s administrative leave was eight days. Information regarding specific individuals involved in conducting the election or the exact nature of the planned improvements was not immediately available. The school district has not released further details regarding the review conducted during Curry’s leave.

Story summarized from the original created by Evelyn Spence, South County Editor on www.noozhawk.com, see more information here.

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