The Greater Essex County District School Board debated into the late hours of Tuesday and decided renaming schools and mascots will have to be discussed at a later date.
During its January 17 meeting, school board Trustees discussed at length a report about recommendations to rename 69 schools and mascots as part of the review.
In the report, schools and mascots were placed into three categories requiring immediate attention, moderate attention, and some requiring little or no concern. The majority of the meeting was spent discussing a report about having police officers in schools. Nearly four hours into public session, the topic of changing school names finally came up, however discussions were ultimately cut short due to time restraints.
Ahead of a decision to the table the discussion, a number of Trustees brought up that the funding required to make changes at each school isn't a priority right now.
"Given our financial position, we've already spent enough money reviewing this, and we just aren't in the position to pursue this fiscally," said Trustee Ronald LeClair on the topic of noting and filing the discussion.
Other trustees maintained that the topic is important, should be discussed, and not noted and filed.
"I do think we need to take into consideration those who are directly impacted by the names of these schools. Students have to live and breathe inside those spaces and be educated," said Trustee Christie Nelson."And when we're talking about distractions, if this is a distraction from their opportunities to learn and feel included and have an equitable space, then I do think we need to take this into consideration."
However, others noted that the decision should be made by the community, students, and staff at each impacted school.
"We have a policy. If a student wants to initiate a name change, [they] talk to their principal, talk to their teachers. Community members, same thing," said Trustee Cathy Cooke. "We know some names should be changed, maybe not, but let's let the community, the community schools and staff and students decide."
Superintendent of Business and Treasurer Shelley Armstrong noted that the board has a nearly $500-million budget, and it is up to Trustees to determine what investments are priorities. A minimum budget of $50,000 per elementary school, and $100,000 per secondary school would need to be allocated in the GECDSB's annual budget to address any proposed changes to school names or mascots, which may include potential items such as the school sign, uniforms, letterhead, or painted emblems throughout the school.
After trustees carried a motion to continue its meeting past 11 p.m. to get through the remainder of the agenda, talks quickly broke down with Chair Gale Hatfield brought forward the motion to table the discussion, acknowledging that the subject of "note and filing" the discussion felt too dismissive. The motion carried, with six Trustees in favour.
While there's no timeframe as to when the subject will be brought back, Hatfield noted that a trustee can choose to raise the topic again as a notice of motion.
-With files from Mark Brown
