It may be summer, but residents of Moonstone and Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop are not taking any vacation in their efforts to save Moonstone Elementary School from being shut down.
Dunlop says it is time to take a second look at how rural schools are evaluated and funded by the province. Dunlop is also renewing his call for a moratorium on the accommodation review committee (ARC) process that is scheduled to take place in September.
Dunlop says this is just one of several rural elementary schools in his riding that are facing an uncertain future because of a lack of funding from the Provincial Government.
He says schools in Penetangushine, Port McNicol and Waubuashene are at risk of being closed down over the next few years.
Dunlop says the ARC for Moonstone has not even started, and already the Simcoe County District School Board has determined this school will be closed down.
He says the declining enrolment agruement does not hold water because the number of students going to school at Moonstone has gone up, not down.
Dunlop says because the Province is not providing enough funds for capital construction projects and most of the money is going to salaries.
He says Dalton McGuinty found $12 million to keep school swimming pools open in Toronto but hasn’t found any money to keep rural schools open.
Dunlop says There has to be a resolution to allow smaller schools like Moonstone Public to remain open.
