Reinstate Dr. Jerzy Cichocki as Principal Conductor of St. Michael's Choir School

As a parent of a student I was incredibly concerned when hearing that a memeber of the teaching staff was to be removed halfway through my son's final year. When I learned it was Dr. Cichocki I was beyond shocked. I associate Dr. Cichocki very strongly with the school and have always viewed him as an exemplary teacher my son was lucky enough to learn from. Reading through these comments, it is obvious that many parents are concerned with not just the possible impact this could have on our son's enducation but what a decision like this means for the identity of our school. I don't like the message this decision sends and have lost much respect for the situation in how it was carried out. I greatly urge the school to reconsider their decision and reinstate our schools conductor with the utmost haste.

The worst Newyear's eve ever, our family is in mourning. Doc was the last strand of any good in that school. I am not surprised that the mafia around there had their way again and with the fear mongering many parents will not write in. I can assure everyone involved with SMCS, that the school has lost a major artery and will die a quick death. Good bye to sacred music in its most traditional form. The school is right now a total disgrace to Toronto and the Catholic community. Shame on whoever orchestrated this, you are selfish and unfaithful to the school community, and will pay for your actions. I can see Mgsr Ronan and Barrett Armstrong turning in their graves. WHY???? The school would do well to get rid of quite a few in the music dept but definitely not Doc. May God bless you dear Doc and thank you for the decades of dedicated service to God and man, may justice be served quickly we pray.

I love him. He made me feel tingly inside

Firing Mr. C right before Christmas with a flimsy excuse is just cruel. Can you imagine how him and his family must be feeling right now? Even if there was a valid reason for the termination, just for his 25+ years of service to the school the situation deserved to be handled with much more care. The disrespect shown to Dr. C is appalling and I hope the school finds a way to rectify the situation before it's reputation is tarnished.

My brother has been going to SMCS for 9 years so I've come into contact with Mr. Cichocki and his work innumerable times. I have always known him to be a consummate professional and extremely talented. It is the principle of the matter that I take great offence to this issue; someone should not be so callously abandoned after dedicating the majority of his career to the school. He is compentant, well qualified and well regarded amongst the students. There is no obvious reason for his termination making this a difficult decision for the community to accept. By excercising our right to free speech I hope this will open a door for discourse between the administration and a community that was highly concerned by Dr. Cichocki's departure. I urge the school to reconsider their decision on this issue for the sake of current and future students that would have benefited from his tutelage.

I am shocked and totally baffled by this decision. I have known Jerzy and his work for over thirty years, and always been impressed with his dedication to music making of the highest quality.

To: Adam Komorowski and the Alumni of SMCS, I do not wish to create division and ill will. Perhaps, the alumni may wish to consider to inform SMCS, that they desire to continue their donations to SMCS, conditional upon the Archdiocese and SMCS, forthwith reinstating Dr. Jerzy Cichocki to his former position as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of SMCS. I believe that we need the support of as many SMCS students, parents of those students, and the alumni, as possible.

He seems like he's qualified and i think he should stay.

There is no person more qualified for the position of Artistic Director of St. Michael's Choir School than the man who was recently dismissed from that very post. Dr. Jerzy Cichocki is eminently qualified for the position he held; he is a musician's musician, and remains one of the (few) exemplary practitioners of the Catholic music tradition not only in Toronto, but in Canada. Unsurprisingly, he is not only respected by the Choir School community, but also by musicians with careers of similar international acclaim (including, for example, Dr. John Tuttle, who also signed this petition). Dr. Jerzy Cichocki has done nothing to undermine the mission statement of the school; he is the exemplar of service to Church and community that Msgr. Ronan envisioned when he founded the school, and which Msgr. Armstrong helped him become many years ago when he was but a student on Bond Street himself. It was this very ethos of service that inspired Dr. Cichocki to return to the Choir School after three graduate degrees to serve the community for over 25 years. This service was most recently typified by working for two years to produce a hymnal of stunning quality (the likes of which the Catholic community in North America has never seen) – this required thousands of hours of work, which he gladly undertook in service to the community he helped build, because he cares so deeply for it. The Choir School community should be looking to the bogus strategic vision for the Choir School put forth by an overreaching, ill-mannered, conspiratorial, and small-minded Director when assigning blame for the disgusting treatment of a wonderful human being, superlative scholar, and dedicated musician. This decision will not be reversed until the despot who ordered it is deposed and replaced. *** For the alumni community to respond effectively, we must ensure that we no longer financially support Mr. Handrigan and his merry mandate of idiocy. Giving money to the Choir School to support his "vis

Doc is a pillar of both the Choir School community and the Church community. This petition serves as proof that his loss is something that both communities will not accept.

Sad sad sad

This is a despicable act of cruelty directed to a man with integrity, who has put forth his life and extraordinary talents unconditionally, in support of the Choir School and the Church. I ask myself, what is the real agenda?

Doc is the essence of the tradition of the Choir School. A dedicated professional who has always exemplified and inspired excellence. Approachable, human, ethical, and dignified. His life is a testament to the "true values of catholic education"! His commitment to sacred music is his passion! This should be recognized, encouraged, celebrated - not extinguished!

Come on people, are you serious? Over such a reason, disgraceful. Show some human decency.

Doc has been inspirational to myself and my classmates when I was at St. Mikes - it would be unfortunate to not have that type of resource for all graduates of St. Mikes in the future

Mr. Leong, Please email me the document and I will upload to Google Docs and share it with everyone. [email protected] Thanks Michael

Mr Cichochi s teaching is so vital on so many levels

Hope you guys get the signatures you need

Earlier this morning, I sent an email to the Most Reverend Michael Busch, Rector of St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica. If you wish read it, or wish to have a copy, may be, I will make it available to Mr. Jeremy Tingle, who drafted this Petition. Please pray and hope that Dr. Jerzy Cichocki will be reinstated as the Principal Conductor of SMCS.

#freedoc