The fate of three schools in the English Montreal School Board has been decided – but the education minister won't say what it is.

Earlier this month, Jean-Francois Roberge announced during an interview with a French-language radio station three EMSB schools would be taken over by the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île, but that decision still needed to be adopted by the provincial cabinet.

That cabinet meeting took place on Wednesday, but Roberge wouldn't reveal what occurred.

As part of an ongoing war of words with the EMSB, Roberge said that he doesn't want to communicate with parents of students at those schools through the media. Roberge again accused the EMSB of negotiating through the media, saying parents will learn the fate of General Vanier and Gerald McShane and John Paul I through letters.

“I will say they will receive a letter really soon, because I don't want to communicate through the media. I want to have direct communication with the parents. It's a question of respect,” he said.

When prodded to say if a decision was made, Roberge said it has.

“Yes, a decision has been made but we want to communicate directly with the parents. It's a question of respect. Last time the EMSB did communicate through the media and parents learned about some decisions through the media and they were shocked. We don't want to do the same,” he said.

EMSB meets

The announcement came hours before an EMSB special meeting was to be held. Prior to the meeting, EMSB Chairperson Angela Mancini said Roberge's silence was creating a hardship on parents.

"It's a little bit hard to be able to have to face the parents once again this evening," she said. "Many parents want to know where their children will be going next year. We're at the end of the school year and we're still not able to give them answers. Part of that has to do with the fact the minister has not indicated to us his final decision."

With no announcement on the future of the three schools yet made public, the EMSB voted to launch its first Major School Change consultation in seven years. In a statement, the board said the public consultations would be held "in order to demonstrate to the Minister and the CSPI that the EMSB is committed to giving up buildings," but on their own terms.

Among the scenarios that will be presented to the public are several that would see EMSB schools in St-Leonard, St-Michel and Montreal North consolidated or merged, with school space being given to the struggling French board.