Schools review process has wrong focus, says government minister

He may be a member of cabinet now, but P.E.I. MLA Pat Murphy made it clear Tuesday night he will still speak up to support the schools in his district of Alberton-Roseville.

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Murphy has spoken out before against the proposal to close Bloomfield Elementary and St. Louis Elementary. Last week he was sworn in as rural and regional development minister, and said he intended to use his seat at the cabinet table to support the schools.

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Schools review process questioned

Tuesday night, he made an appearance by video at the schools review meeting on the Westisle family, which includes the schools in Murphy's district.

Murphy went beyond voicing support for the schools, and questioned the basis of the schools review process, which began in September.

"The whole review itself was focused on building utilization, and I don't think that's where it should have been," he said.

"The focus probably should have been on student outcomes."

Murphy said the process, which is being run by the Public Schools Branch, is going too fast.

Three other schools, two in eastern P.E.I. and one in Charlottetown, would also be closed under the current draft plan.

Opposition questions video appearance

The P.E.I. PC Party criticized the video appearance.

"It would have been good for the new rural development minister to have heard these concerns [from people at the meeting] first hand. Instead the minister sent a video from an undisclosed location," said education and rural development critic Steven Myers in a news release.

"That says a lot about this government's priorities on rural development."

CBC News requested a follow-up interview with Murphy, but was told he is unavailable as he is currently out of the country.

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