Coles Island parents plan lawsuit to keep school open

Some parents from another New Brunswick school that was ordered to beshut down by the Department of Education are gearing up for a legal challenge.

• Brown's Flat, Lorne Middle school closures head back to court

• Parents await provincial response to school closure ruling

Stephen McCready, a spokesperson for the Coles Island School parents committee, said they feel theyare in the same situation as those inBrown's Flat and Lorne Middle school parents, who won a court case last week.

Following the legal victory scored by those parents, McCready said his group is preparingto file its own legal challenge.

"We've been back and forth and talking and there are enough parents to support a court challenge at this time," McCready said.

"As of [Tuesday]night that was the message that I was given, is that we are going to take this to the end and to the court."

The Anglophone West School District voted in March to recommend theclosure of theColes Island school. The education minister accepted the district education council's recommendation.

Coles Island School is a K-5 school and has 30 students.

Students fromColesIsland would go to eitherChipmanor Cambridge Narrows. The elementary school inChipmanis 40 kilometres away while the K-12 school in Cambridge Narrows is 22 kilometres away.

District plans

JusticeDarrellStephensonquashed the education minister's decision to close the two schools in a ruling last week, saying the process that led to the decision was flawed.

But because the judge didn't explicitly order the schools open, the school district says it will keep them closed.

The Anglophone South School District issued a statement on Tuesday saying it has already reassigned teachers and staff, made student transportation plans and removed school equipment.

Kelly Lamrock, a lawyer representing the parents at the schools, said he is going back to court to try to force the provincial government to reopen the schools.

Education Minister Serge Rousselle declined to comment on Tuesday. Officials from his office told CBC News he is still reviewing Friday's court decision.