Miller calls on Minister to overturn board vote

PARRY SOUND – This afternoon Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller weighed in on the Near North District School Board's sudden decision to move Grade 7/8 students from three Parry Sound area elementary schools into the Parry Sound High School next fall.
In the letter, addressed to Education Minister Laurel Broten, Miller harshly criticizes the board decision made in late September, and the way board officials have handled public feedback since then.
"The process leading up to this important decision has been shrouded in secrecy, and done without any prior consultation," Miller wrote. "A public meeting was held Monday October 15th, after the decision was made; over three hundred concerned locals attended. This meeting created more problems then it solved; the board Chair and the NNDSB Director limited time to one hour, at which time they walked out leaving lineups of concerned citizens waiting to ask questions."
Miller also points out that the board chair, Kathy Hewitt, has denied requests of important community representatives to delegate at next Tuesday's board meeting.
"Minister, I ask that you direct the NNDSB to rescind their decision to include grade 7 and 8 students at Parry Sound High School until a proper ARC (accommodation review process) has been completed," Miller wrote. "Action on this issue needs to be taken as soon as possible, as the School Board ruling has already set into motion the changes to be implemented."
A group of parents and other community members are planning to take buses on the two-hour trip to North Bay for Tuesday's meeting, even though they have all been denied a chance to speak at the meeting. As of Friday, they had enough people signed on for two buses, with a few dollars contributed by each rider to pay for the trip.
Area mayors and councils have also started to weigh into the debate, with their own criticism of the board.

Here is Miller's letter in its entirety:

October 19th, 2012

Hon. Laurel Broten
Minister of Education
14th Floor, Mowat Block
900 Bay Street
Toronto ON M7A 1L2

Dear Minister,

I have a pressing issue that has arisen in my constituency regarding a
recent decision made by the Near North District School Board. The
decision involves a vote taken on September 25th to include grade 7 and
8 students at Parry Sound High School, effective fall 2013.

The process leading up to this important decision has been shrouded in
secrecy, and done without any prior public consultation. A public
meeting was held Monday October 15th, after the decision was made; over
three hundred concerned locals attended. This meeting created more
problems then it solved; the board Chair and the NNDSB Director limited
time to one hour, at which time they walked out leaving line ups of
concerned citizens waiting to ask questions.

The Chair of the board has denied requests of important community
representatives to delegate at next Tuesdays Board Meeting, including:
the Mayor of Carling Township, Gord Harrison; the chair of the PAC of a
local public school; local First Nations Chiefs, and other concerned
residents. The Chair is claiming that this issue is not a policy
discussion, as the reason to deny the delegation requests.

Minister I ask that you direct the NNDSB to rescind their decision to
include grade 7 and 8 students at Parry Sound High School until a proper
ARC process has been completed.
Action on this issue needs to be taken as soon as possible, as the
School Board ruling has already set into motion the changes to be
implemented. Also, the next NNDSB meeting is Tuesday October 23rd in
North Bay.

I thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Norm Miller, MPP
Parry Sound - Muskoka

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