Office of the President Cathedral Preparatory School Villa Maria Academy March 18, 2016 To all Cathedral Prep families: Earlier today the Cathedral Prep students gathered together to send off the Cathedral Prep hockey team which will compete in the state championship game tomorrow. Sadly, what started as a celebratory event quickly disintegrated into one of the most embarrassing and appalling events | have ever experienced in my life. While in the past our students have run beside the team bus as it left the school to head to a state playoff, the students would return to school afterwards without much incident. Today, however, many of our students instead used this as an opportunity to display some of the most disgusting behaviors and acts of disrespect that | have ever known. Today was a sad day in the history of Cathedral Prep. Instead of returning to school, Cathedral Prep students ran through the streets of Erie, shouted obnoxiously while using repulsive language, blocked traffic, and even entered Mercyhurst Prep and shouted vulgarities through the hallways. | have never in my life been so disappointed in our students. This is not what we as Cathedral Prep are about in the least. Such behaviors run counter to our mission and to the principles and values of our school. On behalf of Cathedral Prep | apologize to Mercyhurst Prep for the disrespect and arrogance shown by the Cathedral Prep students. This type of behavior is never condoned by us. | also apologize to other schools, people and groups that either witnessed this poor behavior or were subjected to the disrespect and vulgar language of our students. The Cathedral Prep staff is in the process of thoroughly investigating this incident, including the gathering of names and other pertinent details. | want our parents to know that the students involved with and responsible for this incident will be dealt with swiftly and severely. Not only will there be demerits, in-school suspensions, and out-of-school suspensions, but expulsions are most certainly being considered for some of the worst and most serious behaviors that were exhibited today. There is simply no acceptable excuse or reason for this type of behavior. It is indefensible. Students who exhibit such disrespect, arrogance and disregard for others do not belong at Cathedral Prep. As such, on behalf of the school | ask for and expect the support of our parents in this situation, particularly as the school disciplines students for their poor behavior, knowing that students who were involved will be disciplined, some with severe consequences, for their actions. | encourage yirit. miniparents to ask their sons about their involvement in today’s incidents and then to discipline them at home if they admit that they were involved. Just because their friends were involved or that “everyone else was doing it” is no excuse for their involvement. An additional important point for which | also need our parents’ help: Please inform your son to stay off social media, particularly as it pertains to this incident. Already some of our students are using this to brag and bash others, further evidence that some of our students just don’t get it. The use of social media by our students about this incident is completely inappropriate and does nothing but make a really bad situation even worse. Please do whatever you can to ensure that your son refrains from using any social media for the purpose of enflaming this situation. The reputation of Cathedral Prep was deeply harmed today. | am extremely appalled by and disappointed in our students’ behavior. My hope is that a stronger leadership will emerge from the student body and lessons will be learned so that we will never have a repeat of the disturbing incidents that happened today Sincerely, Fr. Scott W. Jabi President