Manitoba parents are elated that school closures plans in Manitoba will be halted by new legislation. The Strengthening Local Schools Act received royal assent Friday.
“It is a shock to everyone. It is the beginning - it provides for a brighter and hopeful future for our children, our small local community schools, and their neighbourhoods,” said Manitoba parent Victoria Schindle. Schindle is chair of the Argyle Community Action Group, a group that encourages boards and governments to develop alternative ideas to school closures.
Bill 28 promotes a collaborative process, and that school divisions reevaluate
their decision making methods. Community members and parents will be a part of
the decision making process regarding the future of their community schools.
The Act states a school may be
closed only if local officials can demonstrate that “there is a consensus among
the parents and residents of the area served by the school that the school
should be closed.”
All closures planned for this year
will be halted in the meantime, to provide some valuable time to assess, reevaluate, and brainstorm
alternatives to school closures. The Act also limits bus travel time to
under an hour, and provides additional support for schools struggling with low
enrolment or serving disadvantaged communities, and those with active Community School Councils.
While questions remain about how
that support will be distributed, parents feel the changes offer new hope for
communities wanting to retain and improve their schools. “We will now have the
opportunity to talk, and to make real change,” said Schindle.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan parents have received few
assurances from their government. Election promises to make school boards more
accountable to citizens have gone unfulfilled, said Trish Elliott of
RealRenewal.
“Education Minister Ken Kravetz
now tells parents it’s impossible for the province to have a hand in closure
decisions. Yet Manitoba
has proven that standing up for local schools is both a possibility and a
responsibility for the province.”
“The minister claims the current
system of leaving everything to local school boards serves people well. Yet
between elections, there’s little transparency and accountability. The system
only works well for trustees and bureaucrats.”
In December 2007, Ontario also passed
regulations demanding great transparency and community involvement in
decision-making, including a requirement to place student and community needs
ahead of purely economic factors.
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