Morell community criticizes proposed school rezoning

P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch held its last school review public meeting Monday evening at Morell Regional High School.

None of the three schools in the Morell family of schools are up for possible closure. Even so, a the meeting drew a large crowd, including people from the Morell area, and from across the Island.

Many parents were upset about other recommendations for the family of schools. Primarily, parents were concerned about proposed zoning changes.

These teachers are so much more than just teachers, this schools is so much more than just a school.- Amanda Clinton

The draft report recommends two zoning changes. The first would see students from Savage Harbour rezoned from Morell Consolidated, and into Mount Stewart.

Amanda Clinton lives in Savage Harbour, and doesn't want her kids to have to leave Morell Consolidated.

"These teachers are so much more than just teachers, this schools is so much more than just a school," said Clinton.

She said her kids are happy at Morell Consolidated, and have asked her why they would have to leave the school.

"They kept asking me why, and unfortunately I could not come up with a reason," said Clinton.

She noted that both Morell Consolidated and Mount Stewart are underutilized, so she feels there's no reason her kids should have to switch.

'Devastating to us and our community'

In another community within the Morell family, some families are facing the possibility of being rezoned out of the family entirely. The report recommends rezoning the Saint Teresa area into the Montague family of schools.

The Saint Teresa community lost its school in the last school review in 2009. Grade 10 student Charlotte Byrne remembers what it was like to change schools, and doesn't want to go through it again.

"Our school being shut down was devastating to us and our community," said Byrne.

"To take us away from our school and community again would be completely unnecessary and cruel."

The draft report cites distance and travel time as the reason for the rezoning recommendations for both Saint Teresa and Savage Harbour students. But many parents said after looking at possible bus routes, they aren't convinced bus rides would be shorter for most students.

Several also said the advantage of saving a few minutes in travel time would be outweighed by the impact of disrupting their children'slives.

Criticizing the whole process

Many of the concerns raised at the meeting went beyond the specific recommendations for the Morell family of schools.

A number of people criticized the entire review process, and called for a moratorium on school closures.

As well as parents and students from the Morell area, several people from elsewhere on the Island took the time to speak and share their concerns.

As at previous meetings, some people called for the reinstatement of an elected school board on P.E.I., and said the board members should scrap the review process.

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