In a school year that labour troubles have made largely bereft of extra-curricular activities, the prospect of a graduation trip to Disney World had some Windsor, Ont., Grade 8 students raring to go. But the revelation it was all a joke has led to anger, embarrassment and regret instead.
Last week, the students at Roseland Public School were led to believe they were headed to Disney World in Florida, after a teacher left a brochure out for them to find.
After rumours were left to swirl unchecked, teachers gathered the two Grade 8 classes in a room, where they were shown an audio/video presentation that detailed plans for the excursion south.
Then, at the end of the slideshow, the students were told they wouldn't be going to Florida after all.
Mona Makai told CTV News she and her classmates weren't left laughing.
"We were all angry," the Grade 8 student said, explaining that teachers appeared to be laughing at her classmates' expense. "At first we were all shocked. We were like, okay, what's happening here?"
Turns out there was a graduation trip planned, but it was headed to a local bowling alley.
The school has since apologized for the prank.
"I'm satisfied that the principal has dealt with it at the school, and teachers I know are feeling really badly about it," director of education for the Greater Essex County District School Board Warren Kennedy said, telling CTV that the teachers involved would not be punished.
"Everybody's human and we all make mistakes. Hopefully everybody can learn from this and we can move on from it."
With files from CTV Windsor
