ST John’s College was set to be served with a court summons yesterday, following the cancellation of this year’s graduation ceremony and prom, according to the lawyer representing the graduating class.
Christina Galanos confirmed the summons yesterday and said a court date is set for next Thursday, June 27, beginning a legal effort to retrieve the graduation fees parents had paid but were not refunded after the cancellation.
The Anglican Central Education Authority cancelled the graduation ceremony and prom of St John’s College amidst allegations of “impudent acts” by students.
The graduation was scheduled to take place on June 18 at 10am at Holy Trinity Church and the Emerald Ball (the school’s prom) was scheduled for Monday, June 24, at the Sheraton Hotel.
Ms Galanos had explained her clients hoped to see a reversal of that decision by the Anglican board, but the board stood firm.
“My primary objective is to force them to have the graduation and if that doesn’t work, our last resort is to get them to refund the money parents paid to the school as graduation fees,” she said.
As a result of the board’s steadfastness, legal action is being taken in an effort to ensure parents receive the $300 they each paid for the graduation package.
“They wanted the graduation and they didn’t get it, they want the prom and if they can’t, they want their money back,” Ms Galanos had explained to The Tribune.
She also described the board’s decision to cancel graduation as “irrational and inconsiderate.”
Reports persisted of the graduating class trying to organise their own prom in face of the cancellation, but Ms Galanos said yesterday she wasn’t aware of that happening.
The cancellations were announced on Friday, June 14, by Anglican Bishop Laish Boyd to parents of the graduating class during an impromptu meeting that evening.
Parents were also informed at this meeting they were not going to be refunded their $300 graduation fee.
The decision reportedly came as a result of a series of “impudent acts” by the students which included a prank in which graduates set off their phones during a service.
Comments
Rontom 10 years, 10 months ago
Now we have reached the ridiculous. There are no winners here. Everything fades to black. Will the adult please stand up.
chuck 10 years, 10 months ago
So the parents are upset -- but a lawsuit? Really? Have any of the children apologized for their bad behavior that precipitated the cancelation? What about showing respect to those in authority? What kind of example are these parents setting for their children? Still scratching my head over this one.
honeyp 10 years, 10 months ago
My sentiments exactly! Where is the lesson in all of this? Respect is the word of the day! Parents you missed a golden teaching opportunity!
nassaudaddy 10 years, 10 months ago
I think the lesson in this, is the parents need to hold their children accountable for their actions. In their adult life bad behavor will lead to more serious consequences. Parents let the kids know what they have caused you, and stop bailing them out. Their vulgar behavior will only get worse and you will be looking at your good child through bars or a glass.
Bahamianpride 10 years, 10 months ago
Nassaudady: totally agreed... it is like they feel a sense of intitlement regardless of there conduct & the parents refuse to educate them that there are consequences for there actions. The world owes them nothing but the opportunity to be sucessful... Bad actions equal consequences stop spoiling children & lets move on its not the end of the world..
concernedcitizen 10 years, 10 months ago
i agree totally w/ the above comments , the posters above make me proud of being Bahamian . i stand 100% behind the decision of the school ...
Bahamianpride 10 years, 10 months ago
There was a time in this country when kids where scared of the consequences of getting a bad report from school... if a report of miscoduct came home my concern would be for living not graduation or prom.. Now we talking lawsuits, this is indeed a new world.
dabeach 10 years, 10 months ago
Putting all emotions aside, I think the parents have a case here regarding the refund of funds and the Anglican Diocese may wind up out of ten of thousands of dollars.
Bahamianpride 10 years, 10 months ago
Dabeach: its not emotion, its principles & values.. In every cause of action u have to establish legitimate harm...The kids recieved there education & diploma's and will graduate...ceremonies are important but the denial of one has nothing to do with the school not providing education, in fact the punishment for misconduct is education. The true cost to the school will be legal fees in defending litigation....
Gbernard4 10 years, 10 months ago
@ 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?
bahamian242 10 years, 10 months ago
Good luck to you! It will not be heard anyhow!! You can't sue Regina!!!!
Rontom 10 years, 10 months ago
It's already happened and it is gonna be more than the refund of $300 sjc will pay. What's worse is the subsequent alumni response to this. What makes you so certain of the legal outcome. Maybe 40 years ago this kind of totalitarian monster would be fed, nowadays, people power is in effect. Or have you not noticed that these would-be esteemed institutions are built upon shakable foundations?
bahamian242 10 years, 10 months ago
Sorry the Constitution has not be change in 40 years either, and Regina is still the Queen of the Bahamas! She is the defender of the faith, (The Anglican Church). Until such time, when the Constitution is changed then this sorry affair could then be heard in the Courts!
Rontom 10 years, 10 months ago
Hey, the last time I checked, St John's College was just that, not a Church and is governed by a board of directors. Second, The Bahamas does not have an official religion. In fact, Anglicans is not even the majority religion and further, the students who go there at St. John's, are not all Anglicans. Even if you dismiss all of that, one can have a lawsuit against the Crown. As a matter of fact using your logic, if the school by extension is a church and the church is headed by the bishop who is representative of the queen, then so is the government: here as well as in Great Britain. Both represent the queen. Now, tell me good sir, how many times both governments have been successfully sued--hint, you can google the answer.
bahamian242 10 years, 10 months ago
Yes I agree, the Parents can arrange a ceremony, as was done in Freeport. Brother Joe Darville, was the keynote speaker! Maybe these Parents can get in-touch w/him? I feel that if that these students sent an opened letter to Bishop Laish Boyd, apologizing for what they have done, and done to the other of members of the community, he may grant them their ceremony! You must remember The Bishop has 4 superiours, the last one is the Queen!
Rontom 10 years, 10 months ago
Your worldview is pre-historic. Throw away your analog we are in the clouds now
bahamian242 10 years, 10 months ago
I am sorry for those students, but they committed a crime! They inferred w/a Religious service. Which it is on the Bahamas Statue and is publishable by imprisonment, and a fine! They are all lucky they were not expelled! Everyone of those 106 participated in those misbehaved actions, and there were several of them! The video was just as it is said "the straw that broke the camels back"! They are lucky it is Bishop Boyd and not Drexel Gomez!!
BeachBoy 10 years, 10 months ago
TalRussell 10 years, 10 months ago
SJC students petition Queen ...fly off to London
by TalRussell
BeachBoy 10 years, 10 months ago
To be fair, and as others (especially Gbernard4) pointed out, this has little to do with the student's actions, and everything to do with what SJC did with the money.
Now, much of the $300 may have gone to the Sheraton for the venue, and I'm sure that's non refundable, but if there's anything left over, then that should go back to the parents.
superUser 10 years, 10 months ago
Graduation and Prom are American things, we are (unfortunately) still somewhat British, and they have none of that - so you people crying over not having these rather useless shenanigans are simply living in denial - grow up and go get a job and learn what it takes to be an adult, move on with your life.. As for being Christians, I bet most of them are on Twitter acting like "tugs" and doing "selfies". Bahamian Culture now = American Culture.
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