Members of the Old Diocessan Union (OD Union) at Bishops Diocesan College have expressed disappointment and concern over a pro-Palestine which was written by the school’s council chairperson, Crispin Sonn on his Facebook page.
In an email leaked to IOL, which was addressed to OD union members of Cape Town’s prestigious boarding school, the OD union explained that as part of the Bishops community, their voice was also important in the matter.
“We want to convey that the posting of the views on social media was a deeply inappropriate act which was unacceptable to many members of the Bishops Community and contrary to the values which we believe to be fundamental to Bishops,” read the email.
The OD Union added that the post by Sonn reflecting personal views on a clearly controversial topic has caused immediate conflict amongst the OD’s and parts of the greater Bishops community.
“Whatever the intentions may have been, the manner in which the chairman of council has communicated on social media has exacerbated the already existing tensions on the subject,” read the email.
The OD Union further indicated that it distances itself from any comments or statements which are offensive to any sector of the Bishops Community.
Despite its disappointment, the OD Union added that it would not interfere or interpose upon council as to how this matter should be concluded.
“That is a matter for the chairman of council, and indeed council itself, to determine.”
On Wednesday, IOL reported that Sonn appeared to have been urged by the council to delete his posts on social media and apologise for them.
Sonn told IOL he would not be able to comment as this was an internal matter.
“I understand where you are coming from but I won’t be able to comment because it’s still an internal issue at the moment and I don’t think it will be helpful for me to comment,” he said.
Sonn deleted the post and offered an apology after the Bishops council expressed its views on it.
In his reply and subsequent apology to the council, Sonn said after reading many of the comments in response to the post, he realised that the message he had intended to share, had been misunderstood by some people hence he immediately withdrew and deleted the post.
Meanwhile, EFF MP Nazier Paulsen, said he was disappointed in Sonn for deleting the post and offering an apology.
“He ought to have exercised his concious and democratic right to express his views in the Middle-East but he gives into pressure from Zionists to retract his statement...This is why the cause loses momentum because people put forward their personal needs and positions and opposed to exercising their conscience,” he said.
IOL News