By Pepper Parr
July 1st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Steve Atkinson, the Lester B. Pearson high school parent, who has worked tirelessly to keep the school open thinks there just might be an opportunity to put the decision to close the schools on hold.
Earlier in the week Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter announced that there will be an overhaul of the process school boards use to review schools for potential closure.
Has Minister of Education and Premier Kathleen Wynne given Burlington high school parents the opening they need to put a hold on school closings?
While the process is under review, school boards will not begin any new reviews, with the exception of those reviews which would support joint-use projects between school boards or for student safety.
In a comment made in the Gazette earlier today Atkinson said: “Now that we have been proven correct in our assertion that the PAR was flawed, by no less than Mitzie Hunter and Premier Wynne with their decision to immediately pause Ontario school closures, I wonder if this administrative review can be used as a “decision pending” designation for Pearson & Bateman as opposed to “on the chopping block”?
“I am certain our MPP can now provide input AND valuable assistance on this provincial decision and will contact her immediately.”
Atkinson and parents at Bateman high school are in the process of preparing a request for an Administrative Review of the decision the Halton District School Board June 7th, to close both Bateman high school and Lester B. Pearson.
It’s a long shot but certainly one well worth taking.
Related article
High school parents seeking an Administrative Review of Board’s school closing decision.
