12.
70. On May 9, 1978, about five hundred students together with some parents and 16
teachers petitioned the Governor and later the Bishop. The petitions asked
the Governor and the Bishop to 1) let the four students to resume class immediately;
2) to investigate into the various irrational policies of the school and dismiss
the Principal, Miss Hilda Kwan so that the school can return to its normal pace
of learning and teaching. They pledged an interview with the Bishop but was
refused. Thus some of the students, parents and teachers staged a sleep-in
outside of the Bishop's residence to wait to meet him. The sit-in and sleep-in
continued for four days and three nights, and the Bishop had not met the
petitioners.
1. On May 10, Mr Lam disclosed that the Education Department might take three
courses of action if the matter got worse: to close the School, to deregister
the teachers or to dismiss the students involved.
72. On May 11, 1978, seven postsecondary student bodies sent their petitions
to the Governor, the Bishop, the Precious Blood Order, the Principal,
and the Education Department and pledge support for the students, teachers
and parents.
73. On the same day, groups of priests and individuals of the Diocesan
Justice and Peace Commission tried to meet the Bishop and asked him to listen
to the grievances of the petitioners. Later in the evening, the Bishop
accepted the request of the priests and appointed four people ( 3 priests and
a member of the Justice and Peace Commission) to listen to the petitioners and
report to the Bishop on an ad hoc basis. The interview with the representatives
from the parents, students and teachers started that evening and was reported
by the four mediators as "amicable and useful" and should continue. After
mid-night, the Bishop through his representatives announced that the requests
made by the petitioners were out of the control of the Church.
74. On May 12, 1978, the petitioners ended their sit-in and returned to Golden Jubilee
School with nine priests (two of whom were among the four representatives of the
Bishop). The priests sought an audience with the principal, and pledged her
could
to rescind her suspension order so that the students can all resume classes.