Beaumont school overcrowding worries parents

While schools in Edmonton and Calgary are closing because of low enrolment, one town south of Edmonton is facing a crisis of overcrowding in its schools.

Concerned parents in Beaumont, Alta., say there are few too classrooms for the number of students in the town.

Alan Belmore, who has four children attending school in Beaumont, says one of his sons goes to a classroom that isn't even in the school.

"My oldest is actually in I guess you could describe it as a community hall across the street from the school," he said.

"They are upstairs in a room that they converted into a classroom because they just don't have the room."

Belmore says the provincial government has known about the problem for years.

"The bottom line is the overcrowding is, to me, it's becoming unsafe," he said. "Our children are not getting the quality education that we should be getting."

The community is holding an open forum to discuss the overcrowding on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT at the St. Vital Parish.

Belmore and other parents in Beaumont want to see the provincial government provide more classroom space for students.