But principal says there are no hard feelings after Tuen Man school apologises for remarks
ALLEN.AUYEUNG@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Monday, 09 May, 2016, 12:08pm
The exterior of Tung Wan Mok Law Shui Wah School
The head of a school for students with behavioural problems appealed for respect on Monday morning after the principal of another school, which has since apologised, associated its pupils with drug users and gangsters.
Objecting to the South Lantau special school’s relocation to the neighbourhood, Yan Oi Tong Chan Wong Suk Fong Memorial Secondary School principal Choi Kwok-kwong earlier labelled pupils with emotional and behavioural problems as drug users and gangsters, and as being sexually promiscuous.
Responding to the apology during a radio interview on Monday morning, Tung Wan Mok Law Shui Wah School principal Paul Cheuk Tak-kan said: “I believe [the incident] arose from the community’s not in-depth understanding towards services offered by special needs schools.
“We had always said this was a misunderstanding. There is no opposition or ill feelings ... [There is] no need to apologise ... As long as everyone respects each other, that’s enough.”
The children understand what is happening, but this is a good educational opportunity.
TUNG WAN MOK LAW SHUI WAH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL PAUL CHEUK
Cheuk added that his pupils – 60 students aged 7 to 14 – are reacting positively despite the derogatory comments made earlier by Choi.
“I have talked to my students. The children understand what is happening, but this is a good educational opportunity,” said Cheuk.
“I told them to be not unhappy. As long as you do your part well and use your action and performance to win the trust and understanding of others. That’s the most important.
“The children, big or small, all responded the same: ‘We will work hard. If people look at us like that, as long as we do our part well, that’s OK.’”
The Legislative Council’s education panel will discuss the relocation project in a meeting on Monday afternoon.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1942569/children-understand-what-happening-lantau-special
