Parents on either side of a decision to close four elementary schools in southeast Oakville have drawn lines over influence and affluence.
The Clearview Oakville Community Alliance claims fat-cat rich parents have hired a high-priced lobbyist to fiddle with the Halton District School Board's plan to close the schools in 2010.
It's an unfair fight, says Michelle Sloane, president of the Clearview alliance. The group says closing the schools and building a new one will mean better quality education for all students in the area.
Particularly galling, she said, is a boast by their opponents of a $50,000 to fund the fight.
"We know the fight cannot be to overturn the decisionto close schools made by the district," Sloane said. "The only fight, logically, is to delay everything, unless they find some legal hitch (in the process)."But to hire a lobbyist firm from downtown – and supposedly this person they've hired is extremely good at the education side of things – we don't have funding to do that. We have to be our own lobbyist.
"It's a scary fight," said Sloane, who won't reveal how much money her group has raised. "We just feel that they have the means that we don't. We are concerned that because they have the ability to hire big time Bay St. lawyers and big time Bay St. lobbyists, that they may have the ability to influence somebody that we don't have the ability to do.
"We're not jealous. We're concerned. We're at a different income level."
Mark Caskenette, an executive member of Oakville Residents for Public Education, said concerned parents who belong to his group have never said that no schools should be closed as population demographics change in Ward 3.
But he said they never imagined that four schools would be shuttered.
"We're not opposed to closing schools," Caskenette said. "What we opposed was a process that we believe was flawed, that lacked openness and transparency."
He said the board didn't provide a review committee of parents and school officials with a selection of scenarios to deal with dwindling student numbers in some schools and how students would be redistributed within the ward.
"It seemed to be a process with a foregone conclusion," Caskenette said. "Our perception was that there was a bias to build a school in Clearview."
He said his group has no specific recommendation about which schools should be closed.
"We've tried to be open-minded," he said.
"What we say is that the process has been flawed. We want to revisit and come up with a solution that satisfies the whole community."
18 comments:
the school district should have some sort of say in how the schools are shut down.
It's funny how now a days money can get you basically anything. They should have a conference at least and hear both sides instead of just the rich side.
I don't think the schools should be closing. If four schools in one area close, then that is going to change all the other surrounding schools also. It is kind of unfair to hire lobbyist, but i think that if they really want to close them, they will find a way to. But i don't think they should be closing.
They shouldn't hire a lobbyist to do anything for them, like they said they are their own lobbyist! That's why people have no money and the economy is just shattered its because people spend money on stupid things! And rich shouldn't get special treatment and they shouldn't get a whole say, I think they should vote on it or they should all come to a mutual decision before they start spending or raising money for a down right stupid thing!
Grumble grumble grumble...
Why would they close a school then there would be a whole lot of people looking for schools for children to go to. And the school boards and stuff will take care of that. if the parents dont like the schools go somewhere else.
I don't think they should close all of the schools down, that would create a lot of chaous...I think they need a serious meeting and figure it out before they blow tons of money.
School districts should have the most say in whether or not a school should close. I don't think they should have hired a lobbyist. Also i think the school shouldn't be closing.
i do not think schools should be closed. or the school district should have at least some say in what they do.
If the the schools district cant afford to run the schools there isn't much the can do in less if they can get some more funding.
i think the communities should handle the issue themselves instead of letting their money do all the talking.
It is very unfair that the parents are hiring lobbyists. Every one should have equal freedoms,and this is not one. The wealthier people are getting to influence these big decisions more, and only because they have more money.
It looks like all of the community doesn't agree. Maybe they should vote? This way they can see how many people can afford to help keep the school open.
no education. that lame to closed down schools because they don't have enough money.
they need have a conference so each side can say what they think and then they can figure things out from there.
If the people want to spend their money like this then I guess there is no stopping them. Maybe one big school would work. A lack of funding is also the schools fault so they need to learn to spend better methinks.
The districts should have more of a say in being shut down and i cant believe some poeple can be that controlled just by money i guess money contrils everyhitng
I like this idea, we should hire a lobbiest to shut down menahga!!!
lobbying is just a waste of time they should understand that all people on the subject needs to be heard not just one
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