GR 545 PRIORITY
EN-CLAIR
FM HONG KONG 158925Z
UNCLASSIFIED
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 617 OF 15 MAY 1978
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
а
MY TELNO 610: PRECIOUS BLOOD SECONDARY SCHOOL.
HKK 280/6
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO, 51
15 MAY 1978
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
по
FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM THE PUBLIC STATEMENT MADE BY THE
ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ON 14 MAY.
BEGINS.
PA
TEMISTRY
Action Tan
11.5
''IT IS WITH REGRET THAT, AFTER THE MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I
HAVE REACHED THIS DECISION (TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL),''
** MR HAYE SAID.
''BUT I AM ENTIRELY SATISFIED THAT MY DECISION IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE PROPER CONDUCT OF EDUCATION GENERALLY IN HONG KONG, AND IN THE LONG-TERM INTEREST OF THE PUPILS OF THE SCHOOL BOTH THOSE WHOSE MISGUIDED BEHAVIOUR UNDER IRRESPONSIBLE ADULT INFLUENCES HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MY DECISION, AND THOSE WHO HAVE ONLY WANTED TO
PURSUE THEIR SCHOOL LIFE IN A NORMAL WAY ...''
MR HAYE SAID THAT HE AND HIS SENIOR STAFF HAD MADE A CLOSE STUDY
OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT THE SCHOOL....... THIS STUDY....... HAD CONVINCED HIM THAT THE MASSIVE DISRUPTION OF STUDIES AT (THE) SCHOOL WOULD CONTINUE. THE ADAMANT REFUSAL OF A NUMBER OF MILITANT
TEACHERS, WHO HAD BEEN LEADING THE DEMONSTRATIONS OF HUNDREDS OF MISGUIDED STUDENTS, TO ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCHOOL MADE
IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE SCHOOL TO CONTINUE AS IT SHOULD FOR THE LITE
THAT WAS LEFT OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR.
MR HAYE EMPHASISED. THAT THE FACTS WERE CLEAR. STUDENTS HAD BEEN
ENCOURAGED BY A GROUP OF TEACHERS TO DEFY SCHOOL AUTHORITY. PHYSICAL INTIMIDATION AND ABUSE OF THE PRINCIPAL AND HER DEPUTY
HAD LED TO THE SUSPENSION AND WARNING OF RING LEADERS. TEACHERS HAD THEN LED STUDENTS IN MARCHES AND DEMONSTRATIONS DEMANDING THE WITHDRAWAL OF SUSPENSIONS AND WARNINGS AND THE DISMISSAL OF THE PRINCIPAL. TEACHERS AND STUDENTS DECLARED THAT THEY WOULD RETURN TO SCHOOL, BUT HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY HAD NOT DROPPED THEIR DEMANDS BY IMMEDIATE CONFRONTATION OF THE SCHOOL AUTHORITIES.
/MOREOVER,