HAMPTON - Despite opposition from several senior members of the National Honor Society at Winnacunnet, 11 new members were inducted into the organization on Wednesday.
According to one student who was inducted at the event, more than half of the current members of the organization opted not to go.
They were protesting Principal Ruth Leveille’s decision to overturn the anonymous five member faculty council, who originally denied the students membership.
They said she violated the society’s constitution, which states that members are chosen by the faculty council, by selecting the students herself.
David Cordts, national assistant director of student activities for the society, however, said a principal has the authority to overrule a faculty decision under article 5, section 1 of the society’s constitution.
Leveille said she didn’t want to comment further on the subject. Previously, she stated her decision to overrule the faculty council was warranted, all the students chosen were qualified and that there were flaws in the process.
All the students selected had a 3.0 grade point average or better and have demonstrated qualities of service, leadership, character and citizenship, according to Leveille.
Hampton parent Amy Vandersall said her daughter was a victim of those flaws in the process and that the students who voiced displeasure with Leveille’s decision didn’t know the entire story.
In her daughter’s case, a mathematical error in the scoring made by the faculty council was the reason her daughter wasn’t originally selected.
At the induction ceremony, Leveille told the students that "they all deserved to be there."
NHS president for Winnacunnet Kristina Costa, who voiced her displeasure with the media over Leveille’s actions, was also in attendance but didn’t give a speech.
While it was previously reported that the faculty adviser, Paula Musto, resigned from her position, that isn’t the case.
Musto, who was at the ceremony, gave a short speech but didn’t offer apologies for the confusion, according to one student who was inducted at the event.
Reports that the five-member faculty council resigned is also not the case, according to Leveille.
She said members of the council are appointed each year, technically making them ineligible to resign.
