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.
LetÕs flash back to 2005, when the Flin Flon School Board was, quite courageously, examining a rather controversial way of balancing a declining enrollment with fairness to taxpayers. The board unveiled a cost-cutting plan to disperse Parkdale SchoolÕs 190 elementary and junior high students to Ruth Betts and McIsaac, and relocate Many Faces Education Centre into the vacant building. The plan was all set to get the green light when, out of the blue, a report outlining concerns with ParkdaleÕs structural integrity forced the decision on trustees earlier than expected. The boardÕs plan was perfectly logical. It no longer made sense for taxpayers to foot the bill for three elementary schools with so few students. The way enrollment has since continued to drop has cemented the trusteesÕ good sense. Many Parkdale parents and students were understandably emotional about losing their school, but that couldnÕt mask the reality: Parkdale had outlived its usefulness. But in Premier Gary DoerÕs dream world, where all of the unpleasantries of life can be legislated away, Parkdale (structural issues notwithstanding) could very well be open today Ð at our expense, of course. Earlier this year, the Doer government unveiled a surprise piece of Big Brotherly policy: all public schools must stay open, regardless of student numbers and economics, unless Education Minister Peter Bjornson says otherwise. ItÕs fortunate that taxpayers were already off the hook for Parkdale when this rule was announced. WhatÕs unfortunate is that as enrollment continues to descend Ð there are over 700 fewer students since 1993 Ð Flin Flon may well face the prospect of another school closure in future years. When and if that time comes, the final choice will not be made by Flin Flonners through our elected trustees. Perish the thought! Instead, a distant politician, Mr. Bjornson, decides how much empty space we must pay to heat so the heartache of a closure may be averted. Before even trying to shut down a school, this draconian policy requires trustees to prove they have made a good-faith attempt to fill empty space with daycares or other community services. So on top of trying to maintain quality programs, find expert personnel and balance budgets, trustees are forced to become leasers. Does that serve our children? Of course if trustees show they did make a solid effort to rent out space, the final say still rests with Winnipeg. This policy is terrible news for for Flin Flon, where tax dollars are already stretched. It defies the will of residents by taking an important decision out of the communityÕs hands and leaving it with the MLA for Gimli, Mr. Bjornson. The MLA Flin Flonners actually voted for, Gerard Jennissen, must stand up to his government over this affront to taxpayers and democracy. A school closure is always sad for parents, students and staff, but there are times when it has to be done. Parkdale is proof. Local Angle runs Fridays.
