News Release
Office of the Official Opposition

Opposition renews call for comprehensive

 review of schools
December 19, 2006

Opposition Education Critic and MHA for the District of Port De Grave, Roland Butler, is renewing his call for Education Minister Joan Burke to ensure that any mould, air quality and general maintenance problems in all schools in this province are immediately identified, and such a report made available to the public. 

"Some serious air quality situations have developed in our schools in recent times and it is important that a review be carried out to identify other existing problems,@ says Butler. AWe now have a situation where children are being forced to attend classes held at an arena in Corner Brook as a result of the closure of   Presentation Junior High School earlier this week and young children are being bussed long distances as a result of the closure of Paradise Elementary. Humber Elementary in Corner Brook is also closed after mould was discovered in that building.@ 

While the House of Assembly was opened, the Liberal critic  called on the minister to conduct such a review.  The minister refused to see the importance of such precautionary testing to alleviate concerns and instead, resorted to a political game of trying to blame the previous administration for the problems. "This is not about finger pointing, it is about properly addressing a very serious situation. It is about the health and education of our children who are more at risk to harmful pollutants 

"Parents, staff and students all have a right to know if their schools are safe to attend and the education  minister has a responsibility to ensure that this is the case. Given the serious situations we have seen this year and the extreme actions taken by parents to have these problems dealt with properly, it is reasonable to call for a comprehensive review and have that information made public. 

AConfidence has been shaken in the safety of schools and rather than treating this as a political issue, the minister should put the well-being of students and staff first and conduct a full review.  This is the fourth year of this government=s mandate and it is time they started to accept responsibility for the problems which exist.   It is time the minister  reconsider her approach on this issue which is increasingly becoming more problematic and worrisome for those who occupy schools throughout our province. I remind the minister it is a fundamental right of students and staff to attend healthy schools in our country.@

Media Contact:
Kim Ploughman
Caucus Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
709-729-6427