No it is not perfectly legitimate, hello99. Kids’ observations are based on KIDS’ point of view, which may not necessarily be a relevant one. What if they think the boy is a nerd or a loser (substitute any expression you want)? Who CARES what their opinion is? Unless they know for a fact that there is a really serious chisaron (they absolutely 100% for certain know the boy is a goniff, a drug user or seller, is a child molester, or the like), their opinion means nothing. People can become more serious about learning, less serious about learning, fake having good middos (anyone remember the old Leave it To Beaver series with Wally’s friend Eddie Haskell?. When a MENAHEL, supposedly a professional educator, requires the advice and opinion of talmidim as to the suitability of a future student, what is next? Will he also ask for their input when he hirse or fires teachers? In College, students fill out questionnaires at the end of the course, giving input about their teachers and the course. You don’t ask young teens for such opinions about other kids and think this is Torah m’Sinai.
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