A petition with 1,200 names was deposited in the National Assembly this week asking the government to rethink its decision to force students from Riverdale High School to move to Pierrefonds Comprehensive and give the building to the Marguerite Bourgeoys School Board.
Students, parents, teachers, and others signed the document asking that the school remain in its current hands, in its current status, saying it's an important institution among the anglophone community.
Meanwhile Riverdale is preparing to be shut down and is working out details of how students will be accepted at PCHS.
At a school meeting on Wednesday people argued ferociously that Pierrefonds Comprehensive should be renamed in order to welcome the new cohort from Riverdale.
Huda Khwaja said a new name would help her and other students integrate into their new home.
"We're going into their school right? They have their culture, we have our culture. I want it to be a unified thing, that's why if we do start fresh, if we start with a new name, I think that's going to really help everybody," she said.
Rusab Moiz said students at Riverdale are used to wearing uniforms and he was concerned about the lack of school uniforms at PCHS.
"If we won't have uniforms I feel like we will be wearing our hoodies, like our grad hoodies that will say Riverdale High School. Then they will have their own so you would be able to tell what the difference is between the students and I just feel like we should come together and make a new name," he said.
Last month the PCHS community ruled out renaming the school in order to reflect the presence of the incoming students, although the governing board was amenable to renaming the gymnasium after a former Riverdale teacher.
Juan Lamosa, the chair of the PCHS governing board, said people worried about the name of the school were wasting their time.
"I've got to tell you it was absolutely insane how well that meeting went until such time as the stupid name came up. So reality check people. The brick and mortar is what's going to make a difference in how welcome or not welcome you will feel only if the communities don't get together now. So spend money on the name, really?" said Lamosa.
He said people should be concerned about integrating students and dealing with bussing and logistics.
The merger committee has to deliver a report to the Lester B. Pearson School Board within the next few weeks, and commissioners are expected to vote on the plan in May.
On July 1st the Riverdale building will be transferred to the Marguerite Bourgeoys School Board.
