WATCH ABOVE: Zoe Watson, Anglophone South School District Superintendent, has sent out a notice stating reopening Browns Flat and Lorne Middle Schools would be impossible this week. Global’s Laura Brown reports.
SAINT JOHN – The superintendent of the Anglophone South School District said the district is continuing with a plan to move students from two closed schools to their assigned other schools, despite a court ruling last week to quash the closure of the schools.
Zoe Watson said in a statement to media Tuesday that arrangements have already been made to close Browns Flat Elementary and Lorne Middle School.
“Many alternate arrangements were put in place for students including reassigning teachers and other school staff, planning student transportation (including new bus routes), maintenance and administration. Furniture and equipment have also been relocated to other schools,” she said.
In light of that, Watson said it would be “impossible” for the district to make the necessary changes to have Browns Flat and Lorne Middle operational on “such short notice.”
“I think the district has to understand – Inconvenient is not the same as impossible. Especially when they’re the ones who made it inconvenient,” said Kelly Lamrock.
Lamrock, the lawyer who has represented the parents of these schools, says he’ll be filing more documents Wednesdays, asking the courts to intervene.
READ MORE: Decision to close Browns Flat, Lorne Middle schools overturned
“My instructions from my clients, both those at Lorne Middle School and Browns Flat Elementary are to take any and all legal steps necessary to force government to respect the law,” he said.
A New Brunswick judge made the ruling to quash the Department of Education’s decision to close Browns Flat Elementary and Lorne Middle School Friday.
The Department of Education ordered to close the two schools under the province’s school closure policy earlier this year.
READ MORE: Browns Flat to fight for school in court, 28 others up for review in upcoming school year
But parents and community members of each school took their cases to court.
Parent Phil Kennedy says he is still planning on taking his child to Browns Flat Elementary when school starts next Tuesday.
“Our children are being passed around like footballs,” he said.
“We’ve been steamrolled. That democratic process and fair process has been sidelined and we’re standing up for that.”
Lamrock also believes this battle is costing taxpayers.
“I do think that they’re going to spend more avoiding this decision than they ever would have saved by closing them. Especially because it was admitted in court that they actually didn’t bother to check if it would save them any money.”
READ MORE: 12 schools in New Brunswick up for possible closure
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