Mt Druitt students vindicated

A Supreme Court jury has found a front-page story in the Daily Telegraph on January 8, 1996 defamed 28 Mt Druitt High School students.

The court found the newspaper had defamed them by saying they were so stupid they had failed the HSC and that a lack of application had contributed to their failure, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The 28 students sued the publisher after the newspaper published a photograph of the school's year 12 photo under the heading "Class we failed".

Federation Organiser Angelo Gavrielatos said the win in court by the Mr Druitt High School students in their case against News Ltd was a very important day.

"In many respects has brought closure to what can only be described as one of the darkest days in the history of public education in Australia," he said.

"Their win in court can not only be attributed to their lawyers, but also the teachers of Mt Druitt High School who have stood beside them and with them since that terrible day," Mr Gavrielatos said.

The union has extended its congratulations to all the teachers who continued their commitment to this case.