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Home My WebLink AboutSt. Mike’s resignations inevitable, and overdue - Ottawa Sun - 11/22/2018 - Ottawa Sun - 11/22/201811/23/2018 WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue I Ottawa Sun Hot Topics VIDEO CANNABIS HFAWORI.DCUP Q.AS.S1F_H-__1DS OBIfFS JOBS THIISVVII;EK`SFEYERS HOME NEWS SPORTS OPINION ENTERTAINMENT LIFE MORE SUBSCRIPTION WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue Joe Warmington Published: November 23, 2018 Updated: November 23, 2018 8:11 AM EST Filed Under: Ottawa Sun Watdly: Boko Bakery to close after 35 years in Ottawa On,, Rotating postal strike hits Ottawa on Black Friday �Y,ff Yes, it's cold but it's also Friday and it's supposed to warm up considerably by ... Wat.clly: WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue If social media didn't expose the horrors inside St. Mike's junior football team's locker room, the school's brass would still have jobs. Same goes if they would have just called police the moment the disturbing videos appeared. St. Michael's College School principal Greg Reeves and president Fr. Jefferson Thompson's resignations came a week later than they should have. The board of the iconic all -boys private Catholic school said in a release: "effective immediately, citing their shared desire to move the school forward without distractions and allow it to focus on healing and change after the horrific events of student misbehaviour that came to light last week:' There is no sugar-coating this. These guys had to go. https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/wa rm ington-st-mikes-resignations-inevitable-and-overdue/wcm/7620da56-a948-4ac8-b59c-5432c6409321 1/6 11/23/2018 WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue I Ottawa Sun s,r. MICHAEL'S COLLEGE SCHOOL St. Michael's College School announces resignations of President and Principal, enabling focus on healing and change Interim President and Vice Principals to assume acting leadership Toronto, ON (November 22, 2018) St. Michael's College School has announced that President Fr. Jefferson Thompson, CSB, and Principal Grog Reeves have resigned, effective immediately, citing their shared desire to move the school forward without distractions and allow it to focus on heeling and change after the horrific events of student rrrisbehaviour that carne to light last week. The Board of Directors has also appointed Fr. Andrew Leung„ CSB, as interim president, effective immediately. A former science and physics teacher at St. Michael's College School from 2013 to 2016, he is currently pastor and rector of St. Alphonsus and St. Clare parishes in Edmonton. vice Principals Emile John and David Lee will serve as acting co - principals. The appointments have the support of the Superior General, Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB, and the General Council of the Basilian Fathers. The Board will be launching a search for new permanent leadership of the school. with its highest priority being to implement the findings ofthe independent Respect and Culture Review. 'Greg Reeves and Pr. Thompson havcv always put the welfare, education and formation of our students first - and they do so once again today,' says Michael Forsayeth, the Chair of the Board of Directors. "Having fulfilled their moral and ethical obligations to manage the immediate crisis and engage our school community, this courageous decision allows us to move forward with our goals: understanding now these events could have occurred„ regaining the trust of our community and bringing cultural change to our school." Action pian St. Michael's College School has taken Immediate action to: L Launch a SMCS Respect and Culture Review, led by an independent third -party committee. The Board Is working to identify members. It will examine the traditions, rituals, and social practices of students at every grade level and in all areas of sells*[ dire,. 2. Cancel all events involving external groups, teams and public performances for the remainder of 2018, 3. Cancel mid -year assessments for 2018. Instead, students will participate in workshops and discussions pertaining to the recent issues. 4. implement an anonymous voicemail for students. The school asks students to report any inappropriate behaviours and incidents they have experienced, seen, or heard about at the school. And student "misbehaviour" is not why they stepped down, anymore than it was because they didn't want to distract from "healing and change" They are gone because every school administrator has a legal obligation to report to police any sexual assault allegations under their supervision. This did not happen. Instead, Reeves insisted his focus was the well-being of the victim, with a call to the police happening later. This nonsensical assertion bought him some time, but the weight of this horrific alleged gang sexual -assault on a youth could not merely rest on the shoulders of the six 14 and 15 -year-old boys criminally charged. RELATED LINKS President, principal of St. Michael's College School step aside iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillilillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillilI -20°' Freezing fog Feels like -23'C Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday 11 III III IIHII III 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000i Email By clicking "Submit''. I cor communication from Post may unsubscribe from the https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/wa rm ington-st-mikes-resignations-inevitable-and-overdue/wcm/7620da56-a948-4ac8-b59c-5432c6409321 2/6 11/23/2018 WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue I Ottawa Sun Two new St.Michael's College School incidents under investigation Six students charged in St.Michael's College School sex assault St. Michael's College School principal explains delay in reporting alleged assault Alleged sex assault at prestigious St.Michael's College investigated There had to be some adults held accountable too. That has now happened. Next, for precautionary reasons, should come a full accounting of coaches, clergy and staff members assigned to sports teams. Where were they when that kid was screaming for help? It will happen, Toronto Police promise. "Our work still continues," said spokesperson Meaghan Grey. "The criminal probe will go where the evidence takes the detectives:' Police are looking at more videos, identifying more alleged perpetrators and victims. More charges could come. SIX STUDENTS ARRESTED: More alleged St. Michael's School... Gray, meanwhile, says "duty to report" falls under provincial offences, and not the criminal code. Stay tuned. Certainly with the school's brass not alerting police of an alleged heinous gang rape of a boy with a broom handle, they could not continue running this show. https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/wa rm ington-st-mikes-resignations-inevitable-and-overdue/wcm/7620da56-a948-4ac8-b59c-5432c6409321 3/6 11/23/2018 WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue I Ottawa Sun But up until Thursday that is exactly what they were doing — including implementing a "four -point action plan" reviewing the culture and the cancellation of all outside group and team events, as well as mid-term exams. They also set up an "anonymous" voicemail to "report any inappropriate behaviours" TWO NEW ALLEGATIONS: More videos surface during St. Mik... Of course, none of that should be managed by those who allegedly didn't report the first incident to police — the reason Superior General Fr. Kevin Storey of the Basilian Fathers appointed Fr. Andrew Leung as interim president and current vice principals Emile John and David Lee as "acting co -principal:' The first thing they should do is throw away Reeves and Thompson's four point plan, establish a third -party review immediately instead of weeks from now, and make sure the snitch line is managed only by Toronto Police. And to be fair to the uninvolved students, don't victimize them too. To make sure their futures are not put at any further risk, exams, sports and extra -curricular programs should be restored — just with temporary outside guardians. It's time for the adults to start getting some things right for the kids they have been failing over there at St. Mike's. OComments Share your thoughts https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/wa rm ington-st-mikes-resignations-inevitable-and-overdue/wcm/7620da56-a948-4ac8-b59c-5432c6409321 4/6 11/23/2018 IIIIIIIIII AllirIE111) 11POSI'llir ,`Pl[r r die [I 1oleGt "L rn� IrlInIr�Irl'N,,t$1"a ,a IIII 0 IID S IIII III IIII IIII�1111 Watch: LEBRETON UPDATE: Melnyk and Trinity's Ruddy have disagreements on partnership "'11111111°1IIII IIII ,IIII IIII IIII°°IIII IIII SPORTCHE%. s oP4�f}yyv FRID,r r, f 9wvsn, ro�i � i i r' ir, i i �l ... a j Q 1 III III Illi °,Illi IIII I (6(f(fJrr- WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue I Ottawa Sun `rfte l J ot'o,".er1 !,✓,II��,I,>rl�I ✓If��il„il�,�, ✓�II� �aW""'it/L, ,I 1""3"t pays Yes, it's cold but it's also Friday Wal:clhv: EGAN: Four years later, and it's supposed to warm up the LeBreton plan hangs by a considerably by ... thread I lover IIIA III° 114° I11yeir ,tC 1 I I10d,I"y � a C x,51 0V II I I: It, 11 tri 1),1 OPP charge three for shooting pellet gun at Rockland Watch: Bagnall: Examining what the issues Melnyk and Ruddy Brother of man acquitted in gangland murd i1111111111111111 BLACK F,RI JG ON FU SA —Rs o?e DOOR CRASHERS 0 .�. .eta pow I lover for 11::::111yeir AHS f�q�'3rn� ,T94 ej99 r ' M/d%/Jl uii�, 11 loveir for IIF -11) We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you tc please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to repor Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information. https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/wa rm ington-st-mikes-resignations-inevitable-and-overdue/wcm/7620da56-a948-4ac8-b59c-5432c6409321 5/6 11/23/2018 WARMINGTON: St. Mike's resignations inevitable, and overdue I Ottawa Sun 0 Comments Add a comment... Facebook Comments Plugh CONNIE(IFUTH OTTAWA SUN (D 201.8 Postmedia Network Iris. All rights re!ierved. Unauhlorl7ed distribulioii, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Privacy I Terms I Copyright& Permissions https:llottawasun.com/news/local-news/warmington-st-mikes-resignations-inevitable-and-overdue/wcm/7620da56-a948-4ac8-b59c-5432c6409321 6/6