Changes are needed in the provincial policy on school closures to ensure the public doesn’t feel shut out according to the Conservative M-L-A for Portland-Simonds Trevor Holder.
He says that’s what happened at the beginning of the review of 7 schools in Saint John when a consultant’s report was prepared before there was public consultation. Holder says the right decision was arrived at but a lot of money could have been saved not to mention the anxiety and stress in neighbourhoods where people were afraid of their local school closing.
Holder says the neighbourhoods in question are more engaged now than they were before and that’s a good thing.
The futures of the 7 schools being studied remain up in the air with recommendations expected in the fall.
