.
.
Class Action Statement from the Chair and Headmaster
Statement by Edward Claxton, Chairman of the Board of Directors and
William Mitchell, Headmaster
February 20, 2008
To the Selwyn House Community: You may have noticed recent media reports of a court hearing concerning a proposed settlement of class action suits pending against the Selwyn House Association with respect to incidents decades ago.
We are pleased that we are making progress towards arriving at a settlement and hopeful that over the coming weeks we can obtain court approval for a settlement agreement that will resolve this unfortunate and difficult matter.
The proposed settlement agreement is expected to be considered by the Superior Court of Quebec on April 25, 2008, and notice to this effect will be placed in newspapers and on a website hyperlinked to the school website shortly. In negotiating the proposed settlement, Selwyn House has sought, without admission of fact or legal liability, to provide compensation that it hopes will allow the claimants to move on with their lives.
The proposed settlement, if approved by the Court, will provide:
-
a private and confidential claims process, including arbitration;
-
that the school will issue a statement of regret with respect to the former students who may have been affected;
-
that notices of the claims and arbitration process will be placed in newspapers and on the school’s website;
-
reasonable limits on the amounts to be paid to any former student and their family members; and
-
that the aggregate cost of all claims will not exceed $5 million in the aggregate, which will not prejudice the school's curriculum or plans or the richness of its programs.
In moving forward, we wish to be clear that our commitment is to provide students with an education that stresses the integrity and respect of each individual in a safe and secure environment. Selwyn House believes that abuse of any sort should never be tolerated.
