Mayor Sue McKortoff. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Update: Osoyoos town council has subsequently added two important details in a letter to the Osoyoos community since Mayor Sue McKortoff’s letter to Minister Mike Bernier was released:
- Council is looking into seeking a court injunction against School District 53’s decision to close Osoyoos Secondary School;
- The town “will also be putting the resources of the community into assisting the group that is endeavouring to establish an independent school.”
Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff is seeking an urgent meeting with Education Minister Mike Bernier and is asking him to overturn Wednesday night’s decision by School District 53 to close Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS).
The mayor called the closure process “disingenuous” and charged that the out-of-town trustees who voted to close OSS are possibly doing so to look after the interests of their own schools.
McKortoff specifically is asking Bernier to use the B.C. School Act section 168.03 (1)(b) which allows the minister to issue an administrative directive to the school board if it is in the public interest to do so.
McKortoff argues that the board “walked through” a consultation process and didn’t properly consider the 22 cost-savings recommendations identified by the community.
Instead, it raised the issue of “quality of education” when solutions to financial concerns were proposed.
“It is the opinion of council that the closure of OSS is not in the best interests of the public and the entire consultation process was flawed, disingenuous and ill timed,” McKortoff wrote.
“In reality, our secondary school was closed by school board representatives elected in other areas that have no attachment to our community,” she said. “One can speculate that they were looking after the self-interests of their own school services.”
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
