Comment history

Gbernard4 says...

@ DaBeach: As much as I agree with most of the other posters here, regarding the principle of the matter, your point does have merit. Legally speaking, where did the $300 go? If the monies were allocated to diplomas, and whatever legwork was needed in that process, then the parents and students have no legal standing. However (and I'm only speaking in terms of what's fair, financially), if the $300 per student was to fund their ceremony and prom (neither of which will be attended), then perhaps the legal suit stands a chance of being won.

The problem is, when it comes to the moral of the story, most would think that sacrificing not only your graduation ceremony and prom, but the money invested in it should be punishment. Based on my own principles, I would agree. Unfortunately, that doesn't hold much water in the court system. We shall see what happens, but I stand by the Diocese for their decision. I must second Chuck with this question: have the students apologized to the St John's/Diocese for their misconduct?

Gbernard4 says...

Quote: “I don’t know about anyone else but something is definitely wrong with this picture. I have worked extremely hard from kindergarten up to now. I have always been on the honour roll, an exceptionally bright student, a proud representative of the school at sporting events and many more and was even chosen as Deputy Head Girl. But obviously the Bishop and Administrators have made a call.

“They have not only hurt us as a Graduating Class of 2013, a class who acts as a family would, but they have hurt our own families. They have wounded us and them and pretty much said to each and every one of us and our parents … ‘Thanks for the money and too bad!‘... And it is WRONG,” one student said. - End quote.

Yes, there is something wrong with that picture: this particular student feels that she is above reproach because her individual actions may not have been called into question. The problem is, she also mentioned her student body to be a 'family' (see second paragraph). I don't know about her, but in my family, we were raised to share responsibility, and face consequences for our actions (or lack thereof). Not only that, but I'm sure we've all heard the now-cliché saying: "One bad apple can spoil the bunch". In the case of the St John's students, it was a apparently a whole bunch of apples that ruined it for a few good ones. Tsk Tsk.

Action: Students deliberately behaved badly, and in direct conflict with the school's code of conduct. Consequence: graduation and prom are canceled. If this student felt so strongly about having such a consequence occur, perhaps she should've been more instrumental in preaching to her student 'family' to stop behaving the way they did. We do not (nor should not) live in a society that says "Sure, do what you want, contrary to the rules, and don't worry about accepting responsibility."

It's a shame that for those exemplary students, an otherwise-wonderful experience had to be sacrificed; however, the moral of this story is accountability. If your student family is just that - a family, please ensure that they express solidarity as a family should, and uphold all the values that make them special. Failure to do so will invariably break the family, and often with unfortunate results. Just my 2 cents.