The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
A group calling themselves Citizens for Better Education has started a petition in an effort to have the Creighton School Board rescind its decision to establish a high school program at Creighton Community School. Organizers hope to have 700 signatures on the petition, which they plan to take to every door in Creighton, Denare Beach and Birch Lake over the next six days. Denare Beach resident Buz Trevor, who drew up the petition, said he was bothered by Creighton School Board Chairman Terry Brown's comment that a "silent majority" favours the high school. "I just don't believe that his silent majority is there," said Trevor. "Certainly in Denare Beach it's not there, and talking to people in Creighton, I get the same sense." See 'Signatures' P.# Con't from P.# Trevor said this effort is "not about being against the high school" but rather "it's about there being more review of it." Organizers plan to present the petition to the school board at the board's next meeting, scheduled for January 29 at Creighton Community School. Trevor expressed optimism that organizers would get their desired 700 signatures, but added, "If the silent majority is out there, as Terry Brown says, we won't get it." "I think if we do get the 700 signatures, it throws the whole process into question," said Trevor. The goal of 700 signatures represents roughly 30 per cent of the population of Creighton, Denare Beach and Birch Lake. In total, the communities have approximately 1,350 people eligible to vote in Creighton School Board elections. Creighton School Board Chairman Terry Brown had no comment on the petition drive. Trevor and other members of Citizens for Better Education held a meeting to discuss their options at RJ's Motel on Monday evening. Organizers estimate about 50 people, including several past and present Creighton Community School students, were in attendance. A media submission sent out by the group yesterday accused the board of "disregarding a clear majority of opposition" expressed at two public forums on the high school issue. About 15 per cent of the Creighton School Division electorate, roughly 200 people, attended those meetings, held last month in the Creighton Community School gymnasium. The release also suggested that the board's vote on the high school was an "arbitrary and possibly unconstitutional decision." In addition, the release hinted that the petition may not be the end of the opposition effort, stating that "Further actions are being pursued depending on the response of the school board." On December 16, the Creighton School Board voted 4-2 in favour of adding grades 10, 11 and 12 to Creighton Community School, one year at at time beginning in September of 2004. The vote came after a task force assembled by the board concluded that it would be feasible to add the grades. In an interview with The Reminder following the vote, Chairman Brown said the decision had nothing to do with the high school system in Flin Flon. For him, a key reason to support the initiative related to finances. "By 2007, Creighton school, if we were to stay as we are, would have almost $450,000 less in grants," said Brown. "That would have a devastating effect on our system. This will offset that. Instead of having $450,000 less in grants, we could be looking at $160,000 on the positive side. "Things were to a point here that we had to be very concerned about this school and what we can do to save it. I don't want, four or five years from now, to start gutting the system because of lack of funding." The chairman said the high school program will also prevent teacher layoffs and allow aboriginal students to continue school in a familiar atmosphere. 'Refined analysis' The petition calls for the board to rescind their vote on the high school "pending a further and more refined analysis of available options" that would not be limited to Creighton and Denare Beach residents. Accompanying the petition are four questions: 1) Before the school board election in October, did you know that the main order of school board business was the expansion of Creighton Community School to include a high school? 2) If you attended one of the public meetings sponsored by the school board, did you get the sense that the majority of people were in agreement with the proposed expansion? 3) Do you believe that all available options have been explored? 4) Are you satisfied that the feasibility report is a comprehensive document which adequately outlines the costs and benefits of the proposed expansion? Citizens for Better Education invites anyone who would like more information to contact Buz Trevor at 362-2530; Greg East at 362-2331; Marilyn Dease at 688-4084; or Ron Weibe at 362-2408.
