MONTREAL - After months of protest, cancelled classes, and with the threat of a cancelled semester looming, many students are taking the matter to court.
This week three students at Cegep St. Laurent have been granted a court injunction ordering the school to resume classes, for them at the very least, in order that they can complete the semester and graduate.
"You can say a bittersweet victory," said Marion Peppler, who along with Chloe Marco-Perrier and Isabelle Combey are due to graduate.
Peppler initially supported the strike and still opposes the tuition fee hikes, but after being accepted at university realizes she has to finish CEGEP in order to continue her education.
"As I said before, we were for the strike, against the increase of the fees, so it's sad in a way but we're happy to go back to school because we just want to finish CEGEP and go forward and that's it," said Peppler.
Combey, who has been accepted at multiple universities in a plethora of programs, feels even more strongly that her future is bright.
"I think more than happy we're relieved, actually, that we can finish and we have a chance to finish now because we didn't before," said Combey.
The trio of students faced harsh criticism from their student association and from professors at the school, who said their actions were selfish and undemocratic.
However the judge agreed that no matter how the student association voted, the rights of these three students would be violated if they could not finish classes and graduate.
Several other injunction requests are making their way through the courts.
On Friday 17 students from CEGEP Maisonneuve will hear if their request to resume classes will be granted.
