Pictou County residents protest closure of River John school
Some residents in tears as they discuss closure of River John Consolidated School
A small and vocal group of residents from River John and surrounding areas staged a protest over school closures in their community Friday.
About 50 people braved pouring rain to send a message to the province that small schools and rural Nova Scotia matter. They say closing River John Consolidated School will hurt the community and its children.
The community and a committee spent eight months developing a proposal for the school to remain open as a hub school, but that idea was recently rejected by the school board.
Some people were in tears today as they talked about the loss.
Naomi MacIntyre is a former River John Consolidated School student who travelled from her Westville home with her daughter to join the protest.
"I find it very disheartening. I absolutely loved my school. I have fond memories and some of the best friends were made here," she said.
Some residents see the school closure as a slap in the face to rural communities in general.
"I'm here to keep our school in our community and to have the voice of young rural Nova Scotians heard loud and clear. I'm heartbroken about that decision, it makes me sick," Santina Rushton said.
"We were just awarded the Lieutenant Government's award for community spirit. The government needs to know they are making it harder for young rural Nova Scotians to stay in their communities."
She wants Premier Stephen McNeil to sit down with the Save Our Schools committee to discuss their hub proposal.
"We should be pursuing the hub proposals. We deserve a serious constructive conversation," said Rushton.
'There's no bullying here'
Joan Sutherland is worried about the future of her daughter, her grandchildren and other young families in River John.
"We have to keep our school, it is the centre of the community. We have 70 children in Grades Primary to 9. They're doing well here, there's no bullying here. It is a nice school, well equipped," she said.
"They want to close it and ship our children to five different schools in two counties. What does that do to the community and what about rural renewal? Now we are starting to build a population, they want to take our school."