Parents angry about school boundaries ‘open house’

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dozens of parents showed up at Uxbridge Public School on Tuesday evening for what was billed as an open house on the proposed changes to the school's intake boundaries. The majority of these parents were angry, but not necessarily with the boundary proposals.

In the school gymnasium, a few maps showing the various proposed boundary changes were pinned to the wall. On a table were papers on which parents could write their questions and/or comments. But what most of the attendees had come for was a formal presentation and to have questions answered. Instead, the majority just stood around the hall talking to each other.

Even Durham District School Board trustee Carolyn Morton said she expected more from the evening. There were name tags laid out for at least 16 representatives of the Durham District School Board, but they were still there when the Cosmos left.

"I'm concerned they're doing it this way," said a woman attending the open house who asked that her name not be used. "We won't get our questions answered."

"We were expecting a presentation," said another parent. "We were hoping for some answers."

One man summed up his feelings about the open house in one sentence: "This is the stupidest thing I've seen in my life," he said.