B. Closure of the school and "aye's excuse
When teachers and students were prepared to go back to
school on Monday, the closure order of the school was abruptly
issued at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 14.
According to Mr. Haye, the acting "irector of Education,
a close study of recent development at the school, together with
hourly reports from the school and first-hand observation by
Senior Inspectors, had convinced him that "the massive disruption
ofstudies at Precious Blood Golden Jubilee Secondary School
would continue. He claimed that the decision to the closure
of the school was not only "inevitable" but also "necessary".
His argument was based on the action of teachers and students
on Friday. lle admitted he had no concrete information to
suggest that there would have been more trouble. However, on the
other hand, "there is no evidence whatsoever that the teachers and
students in defiance of school authority mean to abandon their
campaign ofiintimidation."
*
He also announced that the school would be under a new
name St. Teresa's in the coming September with the same board of
management and principal, except that the sixteen teachers' contracts
would not be renewed,
students
The decision was not merely a shock to the teachers,
and parents, but a shock to the education circle and the citizens
of Hong Kong.
But the closure could not make the teachers and students
silent, it only made them together with the parents decide to make
another petition to the Governor and stage another sit-in
outside the Bishop's office.
46