The long awaited construction of a new high school in Barrie has one city councillor making an unusual suggestion.
Ward 9 councillor Sergio Morales is encouraging g parents to transfer their teenagers from an over-crowded Innisdale Secondary to a catholic high school.
“Parents are concerned about sending their kids for three plus years-possibly their whole high school experience to a school that is dependent on a model with 19 plus portables,” said Morales, who argues a that Innisdale will be over capacity with the influx of students from the now closed Barrie Central Colligate.
The councillor wants parents to be aware of the alternative options.
“I implore them to look at the separate board, look at the French boards for that matter.”
One SCDSB trustee callsed Morlaes’ suggestion inappropriate.
“That is not his responsibility to be giving advice to parents as to where their children should go to school,” said Jodi Lloyd, a trustee with the Simcoe County District School Board.
The Simcoe County Catholic District School Board says it welcomes all students, but they are required to participate in religious studies.
Morales said the heart of the issues and his suggestion is students in portables.
“They (SCDSB) said 19 portables for next year – they were specific about that, but the number is likely to increase,” said Morales.
Lloyd calls the councillor’s comments “disappointing” and argues that portables do not define an education.
Morales is hoping the portables will force parents to consider their options for their teens before school resumes in September.
