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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-10-06, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2011. PAGE 7. THE EDITOR, Small schools are closing all over Ontario with egregious effects on students, families and entire communities. It’s time to halt the gutting of small town Ontario. Several groups of concerned citizens, students, parents and municipal leaders have formed networks to draw attention to the flaws in the Accommodation Review process and in the delivery of education in Ontario. This network (Save Our Schools Ontario Committee) is one of those networks. Every school board in Ontario has the right to close any school regardless of the wishes of the community, even if it is the only school in the community. Not even the Minister of Education or the Premier of Ontario can countermand these decisions. Many boards are closing schools under the guise of reacting to declining enrolments, but many of their actions have nothing to do with enrolment, for example, building more schools. The Liberal government imposed a Pupil Accommodation Review process, guidelines for boards to follow including full consultation with the community. That sounds great! But it fails to work when the board and the community do not see eye to eye. The board’s decision trumps the community’s wishes – always! No one enforces these guidelines. Many boards ignore the guidelines entirely or in part. There is no appeal. No one holds the board to account for their decision. Even an administrative review has no effect on the decision. And this is apparently fine with the Education Minister Leona Dombrowski and Premier Dalton McGuinty, the “education premier”. When a community loses its only school, it can no longer attract or retain young families. Its property values begin to decline immediately by as much as 20 per cent. Its business community is decimated and identity begins to erode. Its children can no longer walk to school. It is the beginning of a downward spiral which no community should ever be exposed to by their own elected school board. The education act must be changed so that school boards are held accountable to their community and prevented from making arbitrary decisions which affect the wellbeing of the community. In the wake of the 2011 provincial election, we are asking all candidates to consider the implications of Accommodation Reviews and if elected, take the necessary action to stop the decimation of small town Ontario and place a moratorium on Accommodation Review processes. Schools unfairly closed should be re- opened under new legislation. Thank you, Save Our Schools (SOS) Ontario Committee per H. Brock Vodden, Blyth. Vodden draws attention to Save Our Schools network Over $100 donated for Habitat project Inspirationally inked Josh Gibbons, left, helped Ryan McMichael apply a temporary Terry Fox Run tattoo on his face during East Wawanosh Public School’s Terry Fox Run on Sept. 28. (Denny Scott photo) Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, Thank you to the Brussels community for donating your liquor empties at the Brussels empty bottle return towards the Brussels Habitat for Humanity project. Your generosity raised $115.47 towards a very worthwhile cause. We will continue to accept your liquor empties with donations again going towards the Brussels Fire Department. Again, thank you for your generosity. Joe and Deb Seili.