Halton public board to close high school

Decision made to shut down Robert Bateman school after parents had protested move

Halton’s public school board has voted to close Robert Bateman High School over opposition from parents and even a provincial advocate — but a year later than originally suggested.

Trustees voted Wednesday in favour of a recommendation from Halton director of education Stuart Miller to close two Burlington high schools — Bateman south of the QEW and Lester B. Pearson to the north.

But they also accepted a late amendment from Ward 5 trustee Amy Collard to delay the closure by a year to 2020. The closure date for Pearson remains the same as originally proposed, June 30, 2018.

Regardless, some opponents warn they’ll continue fighting to save Bateman, noting a provincial election is only a year away and at least one opposition party has called for a moratorium on school closures.

Miller acknowledged the public anguish over a “messy, ugly, divisive and tricky” accommodation review process that he said “pitted community against community.”

But he also stood by the recommendations, arguing they best meet key goals to deal with declining enrolment in Burlington and “enhance program delivery and learning opportunities” for students overall.

Parental opposition was particularly fierce to closing Bateman, which has the highest population of special needs students in the area and offers unique wide-ranging vocational programs.

Bateman supporters got a recent boost from Ontario’s children and youth advocate, Irwin Elman, who in an interview with the Toronto Star praised the school as a provincial “gem” that should be replicated, not lost.

Dozens of supporters of Bateman and Pearson high schools alike rallied on the side of Guelph Line in front of board headquarters ahead of the meeting, waving signs, singing and urging motorists to honk in support.

Carter Creechan, a Grade 10 stu- dent at Bateman, attended the rally and meeting to support “the most inclusive school” he’s ever attended. Creechan,15, noted the school’s dedication to accessibility as well as skilled trades training and co-op programs.

Trustee Collard also pitched an alternative motion Wednesday to save Bateman and pair it with a “dual campus” at relatively nearby Nelson High School. She also called for an exploration of partnerships with relevant community agencies to fill unused space.

Trustees considered but rejected that motion.

If the closures go ahead as planned, most Bateman students will eventually be diverted to Nelson High School.