Coalition
for Small Schools Applauds Decision On Harrow District High School
Ridgetown,
November 8, 2005—The Coalition
for Small Schools is pleased by the decision of the Greater Essex County
District School Board to withdraw the motion that proposed the closure of
Harrow District High School. This
decision removes the constant threat of closure that the Harrow community
has faced for the past two years.
The
Coalition, which includes as a member the Harrow High Community Group, has
called on Boards of Education to recognize the value of the education
provided by small schools, and the also the value those small schools have
to their communities.
Small
schools across this province have been threatened with closure due to the
inequity of the current funding model used for education in Ontario.
New school closure guidelines introduced by the province in
February are a good start towards providing stability for smaller schools. The guidelines include the stipulation that a school
can be proposed for closure only once every five years.
The
Coalition for Small Schools will continue to press the Minister of
Education to correct the flaws in the current funding formula that drives
school boards to target their smaller schools for closure, despite current
research showing that it is smaller schools that provide a better
education.
