From our own correspondent

On Thursday 19th of May a Memo was posted at the Melkonian, inviting  staff  (Teachers, Supervisors, etc) to this years "Graduation Ceremony and Dinner”  to be held THE HILTON PARK HOTEL!

Staff were told that employees were all invited, along with their spouses to the dinner at the 5 star hotel.

Each graduating student would also be allowed to invite up to 4 guests.

The majority of the teachers along with the students  were absolutely livid on reading this, final insult to them, with much murmurings of boycotting the ceremony.

The 7^th formers were then asked to a meeting with the “Principal”, to discuss the ceremony.

They were told that the move was due to concerns about security, that it was a fait accompli, the hotel being already booked and paid for; that the decision is final
In other words, the usual tactics employed by Gordon and his entourage.

The students argument for having the ceremony at the school as in past years fell on deaf ears, with all attempts by the 7^th formers to make them see logic and reconsider  being dismissed out of hand.

Thus we are faced with a graduation, the last graduation, without the powerful presence of the Melkonian brothers’ caring stare.
 
Who would have thought that a maniac, driven by Bush-style paranoia about terrorism, would do this to a group of young adults, a group whose only wish  is to be allowed to graduate with dignity and following years of tradition.