About 100 concerned parents are asking the Bluewater District School Board to hold off on any decisions regarding reducing the rotary system.
As a result of the decision, most subjects within grades 7 and 8 will be taught by one home-room teacher, instead of having different teachers who specialize in specific subjects.
Concerned parents want the board to at least wait to make these changes until more research is done.
The School Community Council in Kincardine recently did a survey with parents of affected students, and spokesperson Gail Walden says they received 40 per cent of those suveys back, with an 80 per cent response against the decision.
Most parents, like Brian Longmeier, say they’re disappointed with the lack of communication before making the decision, and the board’s resistance to work with the parents and students.
He also wants the board to justify their argument by providing more research and more studies.
Kevin Larson echoes this feeling, saying parents are the “p” in “public education.”
Walden hopes the recent groundswell of opposition to the changes will send a strong message to the board.
Walden says the next step for them is to engage other parent councils across the Bluewater region, get more signatures on their petition, and get the attention of school board trustees and local MPPs to hopefully start some dialogue with the school board.
