School review process had its pitfalls

I tried to stay away from voicing any kind of opinion on this school review process for Pictou schools mainly because it is a bit close to home.

I am not a Pictou Academy grad, but my kids might be so some of their loyalty to this “townie school” probably has me favouring one side over the over.

But for the most part, I wanted to sit back and give the school review a chance. It is the first of its kind so I hoped some good would come out of it.

I mean, let’s face it, anything has to be better than what we have seen in the past. I will not forget the tears and anger expressed at meeting upon meeting from parents, staff and students over the closure of schools when Northumberland and North Nova were built.

But they were built and people moved on. Then with River John all those fears came to the forefront again. But this fight to save the school was a bit different because it also involved saving a community. River John put up the good fight, but it ended with another school closure and life went on again.

So now with a third time at bat, the province said it was changing the process so the public would have a better chance to be heard. A school options committee would take information from residents, students and the community so the school board would know exactly what the people wanted.

In this aspect, I think it worked. The SOC put together a lengthy, detailed presentation that hit all points involving student learning, community involvement, historical legislation, etc. This wouldn’t have been as effective at community meetings where people lined up a mike and spoke without presenting solid facts.

But if the province hoped it would also quiet any emotions or mistrust people have with government, it failed.

There were a few things that came to light Monday night that ruffled the feathers of the community, SOC members and the town’s mayor.

Why didn’t the school board staff tell the SOC from the start that a new P-12 school in the town wasn’t something the school review could consider?

They can throw their hands up in the air and say, ‘we didn’t know they were going this route or we were told to keep a handsoff approach,’ but no one is buying that.

A facilitator was appointed to the SOC to make sure all requirements were being met and, from what I am told, at no point did he say, ‘Ah, hold on folks, you’re wasting your time on this because new schools are off the table.’

The SOC members also accused the school board of not providing them with updated information and figures for their own presentation and the mayor called the technical report dismissive and a defence of NRHS.

But to be fair and give school board staff the benefit of the doubt, this is a new process that still has knots to work out. The SOC’s major complaint was there were too many grey areas. It didn’t know what it could ask for or how much information school board could provide. Who is to say that school board staff weren’t also struggling with issues?

It was following the direction of a province which has proven over and over again that it will let school boards take the blame as much as possible when it comes to making tough decisions, yet it controls the purse strings.

Some might wonder why the community isn’t happy with the staff recommendation that P-12 remain in the town by using Pictou Elementary as P-8 and McCulloch as 9-12. It’s not a new school, but isn’t it close to what you wanted?

Maybe, for now, but what about when reality sets in that these schools are getting older, McCulloch in particular, and without capital improvements on the books for years to come, what are the students gaining?

Really, at this point, I am not sure if the legislation that states there must be a Pictou Academy in the town is a saving grace or just a Band-Aid because legislations can be changed and BandAids can be ripped off. In the end, all it does is create years of uncertainty as people wonder if this is their child’s last school year at PA.

At the end of the day, the school board is in for a tough call to decide whether it should listen to the people it represents or the people who work for it – all the while wondering how to keep its own boss happy.