Wellington North councillors have supported a resolution calling for a moratorium on rural school closures.
An accommodation review of the three elementary schools in the township by the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) and its review committee will consider the possible closure of the public school in Kenilworth and moving those students to schools in Arthur and Mount Forest.
The committee is looking at options before sending a recommendation to the board for approval in February.
But concerns about the process and the possible closure of Kenilworth Public School due to declining attendance had some councillors speaking out at the July 14 council meeting.
“If the (committee) recommendation was to maintain the status quo and the school board disagreed I’d be infuriated,” said councillor Andy Lennox.
The discussion was sparked by a resolution from the Town of Penetanguishene calling for a moratorium on the closure of rural schools. The same resolution also pointed to “the lack of public trust in the accommodation review process as school boards are not being held accountable for the recommendations of the accommodation review committee.”
CAO Mike Givens is Wellington North’s representative on the committee.
“It’s complex and certainly super-sensitive,” Givens said of the process of reaching a recommendation.
However, he added it is not clear at which point council should make a public statement on where it stands on the review and potential closure of the Kenilworth school.
Councillor Sherry Burke agreed the process involving council making a public statement was not spelled out.
“I have a personal belief we should be standing up for the school and the residents it is affecting,” she said. “Should we be having a discussion about how we feel about this? I feel we should be standing up.”
“The accommodation review was implemented to give a voice in relation to school closures,” Givens said, referring to the review and the board’s request for comment at public meetings.
“There’s a lot of assumptions the board has already made up its mind and we (review committee) are spinning our wheels.”
Givens suggested council could pass a motion supporting a moratorium.
“I really don’t know if there’s a best process for council to take for the review unless council supports the idea of a moratorium,” he added.
Mayor Ray Tout agreed the process for which council can proceed was not clear.
Councillor Dan Yake likened the situation to the board’s decision to close the high school in Arthur and send students to Mount Forest.
Yake said despite widespread community support for the Arthur high school to remain open, the board decided it should close.
“Whatever we said it fell on deaf ears,” Yake said. “We have to support the parents and the community. We’ve seen what the loss of a school means to the community.”
Givens said he would make council aware of any decision made by the review committee and he would like to see council make a decision to go to the school board at the same time.
Council supported the Penetanguishene resolution calling for a moratorium on rural school closures.
