Our CPE corresponent, a former City of York CLC* reports on how deeply deceptive the TDSB can be.       

Dufferin – Eglinton Accommodation Review Committee

Perhaps this is all old news to veterans in the ARC struggle, but I had had a question rattling around my brain that refused to resolve or vacate.  It was actually triggered not by the ARC, but by the name “Dufferin – Eglinton” , a very specific neighbourhood area and georgraphic location. 

Why was West Prep put into an ARC that is supposed to be about "Dufferin – Eglinton”?

I know communities by walking through them, driving through them, living in them or working in them.  If one is a community worker, learning how to see and identify neighbourhoods and communities is a key requirement.

In the case of Briar Hill, I know it by having lived in it for about 12 years around the 80s decade. I know where Briar Hill was (I was on Roselawn, so it was just to the north of my home) and I know where West Park is (way over past Marlee, and West of Bathurst).

West Prep isn’t anywhere near Dufferin & Eglinton.   

I couldn't -- for the life of me -- figure on why it was chosen to be placed in that ARC.  Then I looked at the maps that were sent out from the ARC (“Dufferin Eglinton Accommodation Review Attendance Boundaries and Walking Distances”, page 2 ).  I saw all the schools that surrounded Briar Hill.  There were schools to the north that are as near – or maybe closer – to Briar Hill,  so one has to again ask the question:  why West Prep?

Briar Hill and West Prep are worlds apart even though, on a flat map with no markings other than streets, they would appear to be comfortable – and equal -- next door neighbours, both of whom are just north of Eglinton Avenue West. 

Briar Hill is a cherished older school, just off Dufferin Street, with small stores and light industry to the west and small houses and apartments to the east.  West Prep is a sweet school snuggled in a residential area, with surrounding large homes and away from major traffic.  Both deserve to continue to serve their communities. 

A connecting road (labeled Elm Ridge near West Prep and Roselawn by Briar Hill) 
has some light industry from Dufferin to Marlee, apartment buildings from Marlee to the bridge and residential single homes thereafter through to Bathurst Street.
 
West Prep is old Toronto and a wealthy area.  Briar Hill is old York and working class.  
They do not share a real estate listing, or a community paper.  Though ajoining, they are decisively separated by the Allen “Expressway”, which citizens prevented from going south past Eglinton Avenue West.

So, what's the connection?  Not the Middle School. The children from West Prep don’t go to Fairbank Middle because of the points listed above.  It is NOT the closest location for grades 7 & 8.  The “Final Report” of the ARC clearly stated on page 6 --  the West Prep students move to Forest Hill for Grades 7 & 8.

One can only wonder why schools from the former York were not in the mix (other than they were placed in other ARCS).  However, no schools to the north (from the former North York Board) were placed in the mix either – and they probably have as little in common with Briar Hill as West Park does.  So, again, why?

I believe that whom-ever came up with the model found him/herself was boxed in.  The closest elementary school (DB Hood, just south of Eglinton and adjacent to Fairbank Middle) was closed in the last round of school shut downs.  Other nearby former York schools were already being examined.  But ARCs needed to give an impression of “choice”.  

Given the class makeup and historical strong ties to the community, it should have been obvious that there would be no real consideration of closing West Park.  It is a good school located in a community that would be well able to mobilize the political clout needed to defend their local school

We at the Campaign for Public Education have always said:  Closing schools? “Not my school and not your school, either”.  

By placing a ringer school in the thin mix (and one that does not even “feed into” Fairbank Middle school), Briar Hill (with some changes to FMS) became targetted. 

The makeup of the so-called ARC pretty well made the recommendation a foregone conclusion. While parents from all schools (rightly) fought hard, the deck was stacked.  

The not so hidden agenda is to close and sell schools to support the survivor schools. Like the flat map that didn’t show the essential details, the ARC process and goals may look good on paper, but it does not and can not serve the needs of  real people in real communities on the ground.

*Community Liaison Officer/School Community Advisor York/TDSB