EMSB parents say they would share space with French board to save schools

A group of parents are saying they would be willing to have their children’s English Montreal School Board schools share space with a French school board if it would save the facilities.

Quebec’s Education Minister has said he will transfer Gerald McShane School and General Vanier Elementary from the EMSB to the Commission Scolaire de La Pointe de L’Ile to ease overcrowding in that board’s schools unless an alternative solution is presented.

Last week, the EMSB voted to transfer control of the Galileo Adult Education Centre to the French board. Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge criticized the move, saying it would disrupt the lives of special needs students at that facility. 

One solution being put forth is to have students cohabitating in the school’s buildings, sharing classroom space in the under-capacity English schools with the French board.

“The fear is that we’ll be split up and scattered around and that’s not we want,” said General Vanier Governing Board Chair Bob Reda. “We’re willing to do anything in our power to keep ourselves together.”

Parent Assunta Iasenzaniro said she sees merit in the idea.

“I think having different schools from different schoolboards at the same school is beneficial for the students as well, because they’ll be exposed to different cultures,” she said.

Gerald McShane Governing Board Chair Francesca Pitruzzello said the school could make eight classrooms available.

“We understand from the minister that he’s not expecting us to relieve their whole need of 3,000 students, so we’re willing to help as much as we can to relieve the pressure,” she said.

The alternative, losing the schools permanently, is not an option, said Laura Fortin, whose child attends Gerald McShane School in Montreal North because of its sports program.

“It would be a huge loss because we actually had a family vote in terms of which school we wanted to go to and we specifically chose this one,” she said.

EMSB co-chair Joe Ortona said the board has voted in favour of discussing the cohabitation option with the French board and the education minister. He said while it’s not an option he prefers, he knows the parents want to save the schools.

While the French board declined to comment, the education ministry said in a statement that it’s not opposed to the idea for the short term.

“We can’t impose it, it’s up to the school boards to reach an agreement to this effect,” they said. “They have until June 10 to submit alternative proposals.”