St. Mary Catholic Secondary School (Pickering, Ontario) Explained

St. Mary Catholic Secondary School
Size:275px
Address:1918 Whites Road
City:Pickering
Province:Ontario
Postcode:L1V 1R9
Country:Canada
Coordinates:43.8348°N -79.1234°W
Schooltype:High school
Principal:Susan Duane
Chaplain:Tomy Valookaran
Grades Label:Grades
Grades:9-12
Enrolment:1,500[1]
Enrolment As Of:2019/2020
Mascot:Leo The Lion/Monarchs

St. Mary Catholic Secondary School is a Catholic secondary school located in Pickering, Ontario, Canada established in 1987.[2] Operated by the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), it is the only Catholic high school located in Pickering.

Controversies

Non-Uniform Day Enforcement

On March 22, 2012, approximately 200 to 300 students were sent home due to wearing either shorts, khakis, capris and/or ankle socks, sparking outrage amongst students and parents. The administration at St. Mary claims the rule was in the student agenda, reminded the students about the rule the day before, and dismissed allegations of student suspensions.[3] [4] [5]

2019-2020 Yearbook

On October 10, 2020, St. Mary Catholic Secondary School had sent out its 2019-2020 yearbook to the graduates of that school year. It was then brought to light that a black man's quote was changed from him commemorating his grandma and thanking her for her support of his years of high school, to a racist message. This made the school issue a return on all yearbooks and announcing an investigation on the people who had changed his quote.[6] [7]

Days later, on October 16, 2020, nine more students came out saying that their quotes have been changed too. One criticized a female student's body image, another targeted a male student's grade. The nine people were a mix of male and female students from various cultural backgrounds.[8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St Mary Catholic Secondary School (826278) . Ministry of Education . 18 June 2021.
  2. Web site: Mission Statement. St. Mary CSS Website. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150316214146/http://stmary.dcdsb.ca/index.php/2015-02-24-19-08-57/about-stmary-home. 16 March 2015. 25 April 2015.
  3. Web site: Casey. Liam. Scores of Pickering students sent home for wearing shorts. Toronto Star. 5 April 2015. 23 March 2012.
  4. Web site: Calis. Kristen. Pickering students sent home for wearing shorts. Durham Region News. 5 April 2015. 22 March 2012.
  5. Web site: High school students in Pickering sent home for dress code violation . CityNews. 5 April 2015. 22 March 2012.
  6. Web site: Lavery . Irelyne . Pickering high school recalls yearbook after student’s tribute to grandmother replaced with a racist message . The Toronto Star . 17 October 2020 . 12 October 2020.
  7. Web site: Statement from the Durham Catholic District School Board in response to racist content in St. Mary CSS yearbook . St Mary CSS . 17 October 2020 . 13 October 2020 .
  8. Web site: Tsekouras . Phil . Nine more students of Pickering high school embroiled in racist yearbook controversy say their quotes were tampered with . CP24 . 20 October 2020 . 16 October 2020.