Community unhappy about plans to close Saint John school
Shane Fowler | CBC News | Posted: January 17, 2017 11:43 AM | Last Updated: January 17, 2017
A plan to close St. John the Baptist-King Edward School has community members speaking out
Dozens of parents, teachers, students, and members of the community gathered at St. John the Baptist-King Edward School, to protest the idea of closing the facility.
In November, the Anglophone South District Education Council put forward a plan to close the school and send students to Prince Charles School instead.
"You're taking out the heart of the community," said Judith Meinert-Thomas, who spoke out at Monday night's meeting, that saw close to 150 people.
She said the school and its programs are an intrinsic part of the south end.
"It's a beacon for people here."
The St. John the Baptist-King Edward School complex also houses a community centre, the YMCA Early Learning Centre, a boxing club, and a brand new community kitchen.
"The unintended social consequences to this plan will be devastating," said Allan MacDougall, who also spoke out on Monday night.
"The school's rental income supports community suppers, poor people programs, school lunch programs, spiritual programs, and athletic programs too numerous to mention."
Proponents of the school closure have promised to move the community centres with students, which was upsetting to many in the crowd.
"This report clearly strikes rage in the face of those who worked so hard to contribute to the construction of this outstanding, modernized, community kitchen when it cites the difficulty of dismantling or moving it," said MacDougall.
"It is clear from this report that the driving question was never how to improve the educational experience, but rather how to dump rented properties and financially justify it."
No Consultations
The lack of consultation with community members about the proposal before it was released, was a point of concern for several people at the meeting.
Ann Barrett felt the public wasn't being consulted and finances were the only factors being considered in the entire process.
"I really felt this whole process was the wrong approach," she said. "We've been left out of the whole process."
But the process does take time.
If a closure were to take place, officials say students won't be moved for at least another five years.