WATCH ABOVE: Parents in Morinville say the math isn’t adding up when it comes to public education in their community. Vinesh Pratap explains.
EDMONTON – A petition has been launched to build a secular public junior and senior high school in Morinville, something which currently does not exist in the central Alberta town of just over 9,400 people.
Morinville got its first secular school just a couple years ago, after non-Catholic parents took their battle all the way to the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
Since 2011, the town’s community has grown nearly 10 per cent. To accommodate that growth, the government recently announced plans to build a new school in the community.
READ MORE: Alberta premier announces ‘largest ever’ school construction project
But the part that left many surprised is that it will be a K-6 school for the Catholic system.
“When I heard the announcement, I was just, it was shocking,” said parent Sarah Hall.
While Alberta Education is aware of the situation in Morinville, a spokeperson for the minister indicates the Sturgeon School Division did not have a complete application in place when it came to the latest round of new school announcements.
Issues such as the grade configuration, as well as the location of the new public school reportedly still have to be worked on. However, the spokesperson adds that the ministry continues to work with parents and the division.
The government also indicates that there will be future new school announcements.
How long it will be before the town sees a second secular school, though, remains to be seen.
“But for my younger children, the dream is that they will be able to go to school here.”
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News
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