My family lives in Crousetown – and I love to visit. Who knows, it might be my home too someday. Right now, my nephews are scheduled to go to PR school – it’s the reason they moved to that neighbourhood instead of an urban setting of Bridgewater. I’m afraid that the community revival will be jeopardized if the school closed.
I didn’t get it when my parents fought for our little school in Cape Breton to stay open. I couldn’t imagine what they meant by it being the heart of the community — well our community suffered. The next generation didn’t stay. The community sports teams, youth centres, girl guides and boy scouts all folded due to limited enrolment – and a few years after that all the churches were forced to close. It was too long a drive to the big town (where we were bused for school) to join the same groups there. We couldn’t stay for tutorials or join after school programs or go to the library – all things the bigger school promised because we were bus students. We had to get on the only bus to get home. Grade 7-12, I was a “bus student”. The poor little primary kids were falling asleep to and from school.
Our village is now a shell of its former self. Homes boarded up, no resale value. The few independent businesses were forced to close. I’d like to think the fate of the village I call home is unique – but it’s not.
This is predictable, this needs to stop. Please, please see that this is more than a legal interpretation of an old, unintentional motion of a school board. Do the right thing, follow your conscience and support Nova Scotian families.
Jo-anne Crisp
So well said Jo-anne
Bussing little kids that far will make them tired and distracted even before they start their day. Will be very bad for the children.