Bateman high school parents will have their 1000 signature petition read in the Legislature today.

By Staff

December 11th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

Whitby-Oshawa MPP Lorne Coe (PC) will read a petition signed by more than 1000 Burlington community members into the record of the Ontario Legislature calling for the Liberal government to reverse the closure decisions for all schools where those decisions were made after September 1, 2016.

Bateman parents and students make their views known.

In a media release a Bateman high school parent group said: “In June of this year, Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter announced a province-wide Moratorium on school closures, stating that the Pupil Accommodation Review (PAR) process used to close schools was flawed and should be overhauled.

“Following this PAR process, the Halton District School Board voted to close Burlington’s Robert Bateman and Lester B. Pearson High Schools (June 7th) just 22 days before Hunter’s announcement. Parents from both schools have argued that a decision made under this flawed process must be overturned.

“Save Bateman Committee member Jennifer Beleck spearheaded the collection of petition signatures as part of a provincial movement led by the Ontario Alliance Against School Closures.

Showing the school colours as part of a protest against the Board of Education to close a high school that meets the needs of disadvantaged students.

Beleck says that in the conversations that she has had with parents, retirees, business owners and others from across Burlington while gathering the names, the overall response has been one of frustration. “Everyone I spoke with said how angry they are with the large number of schools which have been slated for closure under the Liberal government” said Beleck. Records suggest that over 500 schools have been closed under the Liberals prior to them announcing the moratorium.

A similar petition from the group working to stop the closure of Burlington’s Lester B. Pearson High School was read at Queen’s Park on October 25, 2017.

With the over 1000 signatures, the Save Bateman petition is one of the largest to be read on school closures to date.