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Today’s Blog Post
“Move On PCVS Move On”
“So what is the ‘Save PCVS” sign all about?” my sister asked as we drove around together. “I have seen them all over the place!”
She was visiting us from the Yukon and had rented a vehicle to drive around the area. She told me that she had seen the signs in places a long way from Peterborough as they had traveled around last week.
My reply was simple. This is an attempt to stop the closing of a local high school. The group has joined together to stop the school board and district from making the students go to a different school.
In a newspaper this week it was announced that the ‘Save PCVS’ group is trying to raise $250,000 for a court challenge to the school board’s decision. The amount includes $100,000 that may have to be paid towards the fees the school board may incur as ‘damages’ while being taken to court – if the Save PCVS group loses. In other words the school board is being dragged into something that they did not want or need… a legal action against them and if the group that brings the challenge loses they pay the court costs for the group that they tried to sue. Or at least that is what I think that they are saying…!!??!!
I am in great danger of being ‘flamed’ by this activist group of parents and students that have been mobilized by whoever. When they read this and they will potentially strike a blow against me as well. They have become a formable group of protestors locally. You do not dare oppose what they want or demand.
Yet a school board has opposed them. They have made a solid decision and it must move on in a timely fashion. And the school board is taking heat – big time!
How do I know what is happening? Well it’s in our newspapers continually. The newspapers are tired of it and so are many readers… but they have to report what is going on – stupid or not.
But more than that I sit each week at a local Mall to demonstrate my crafts and arts. I hear what people are saying or trying to say.
A few weeks back a young mother stopped by to tell me her opinion. She does not have a child at the school. She is not from the school nor has she ever attended it. Her teen could attend there later if the school still existed in the future.. but also could attend other schools just as easy. It really doesn’t matter at all to her. But for some reason it has taken her with a gusto to get involved. Listening to her made even less sense. The arguments were canned and the same the newspaper was forced to print.
I tried to reason with her. But there is no reason when someone can only hear themselves rattling on – in circle arguments.
I was thoroughly disgusted with what I heard her present over and over again. I have been disgusted with the reports that are presented again and again.
These poor students that are being used by a handful of stubborn ‘whoever they are’ people… trying to force a decision to be over turned.
Now a court case using good money to do something so stupid!!! The lawyer’s office needs the money in this downturned economy for sure. But what a waste to see this action going no where!
I truly think that the money raised could got to a better cause – somewhere. Maybe it could to buy new equipment for schools in Africa, books for schools overseas… or build a few schools in African countries that have nothing???!
But – nope. They are raising money so they will be able to make a point. They already know that they are about to lose. They know that they will have to pay damages… and they will spend every cent to make a point – that they are snot nosed, spoiled, self-indulgent group of teens that hide behind their ‘creative side’ – and demand their own way.
Can you imagine hiring these teens in about four years after they graduate? I wouldn’t touch their resumes with a ten foot pole. They could do the same thing to my company if they didn’t like what I was doing or the decisions that I made as the company owner.
How dare you speak of the ‘Save PCVS’ cause this way! What do you know Lincoln?
Well I dare to speak out because a long time ago my own high school faced closure and closed. It was decided by the school board at that time that it was the best decision and only decision that they could make.
It was much older than PCVS and had a much longer heritage than PCVS. It had a Football Team that was the very best and school spirit that made PCVS look like nothing. At least that is what we all thought. Central Collegiate Institute was the best high school ever! And we all knew it!!!
From our school came great people, powerful people, political people, creative people, top artist and great minds. The building didn’t produce these people the school that was in it did that. We had the best teachers ever. The fellow students were the best friends ever!
Some of us were straight and some were gay, lesbian and transgendered. We didn’t rely on a building to hide what we were and feel safe in it. We were way more creative than what I have seen from PCVS… way more.
I just heard that some of the old faithful students of Central are planning a high school reunion for our classes soon. It will be our 50th reunion. We cannot go to the school building but we are still a school. Most of us will likely head to the University 50th reunions instead of the high school ones. University was far more fun and far more stimulating than high school was.
But saying that only makes sense to me. No one in the ‘Save PCVS’ listens to possibilities. They are so stuck in the past of an old building… that they only hear what they want to hear.
Should I publish this to a local newspaper? Nope. The public has heard enough of the dribble… and besides that no one wants to hear any more about this stupidity.
I am going to publish my own lawn sign that says, “Move On PCVS Move On”.
But then do I dare? The Peterborough area has a history of strange groups of people being organized. One was the Caven Raiders – that did some nasty stuff to people they didn’t like or accept. There were also rumbles on the Hunter street bridge between Catholics and Protestants when they hated each other so much.
My graduation reunion from Central High School is looking better all the time – and that was 50 years ago now! Sheesh!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com
Resource:
http://peterboroughneedspcvs.com/
http://www.peterboroughcollegiatefoundation.org/
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4 comments:
I am so sorry that Central closed. From your description it sounds wonderful. The saddest part is that no new student will have your kind of experience because the school only exists in its alumni. It must be difficult to face the thought that the city's kids are bereft of your high school and that you didn't think to fight it for their sake.
Buildings don't help build people, as you said. You're absolutely right. Teachers do. Your teachers would have set the tone for the teachers after and those after that and those after that. When it closed, did all the teachers of Central go to the same place where they could work their proverbial magic as a team? I doubt it.
Are you upset because you didn't fight? As for hiring PCVS students, is loyalty to an organization not an asset in any company? Wouldn't a boss like to know that their employees are willing to fight to keep the business running? Maybe you don't want to see them, or the 'Save PCVS' signs because you did nothing to try and save your Central and you feel guilty.
I'm sorry. This must be hard for you.
Dear Anonymous... You said.."It must be difficult to face the thought that the city's kids are bereft of your high school and that you didn't think to fight it for their sake."
And you questioned about the Teachers...
The students all went to an even greater School and loved it. The teachers were amazing as they mixed with the Teachers from Central. How did I know this? My youngest sister was one of the students that benefited so much from it. And she has gone to do even greater things in her life!!!
Questioning if I was upset - that is too funny... we GREW UP and moved on. When this all happened I had already attended two Universities and loved every minute of it. High School was an old memory that was something we smiled at - but never stayed there.
But saying all this is impossible for someone like you to see that far ahead. You and others like you are so afraid of the future that you will likely be locked in the yearning for the good old days of PCVS.
In our case Central wasn't used for any further education for people that needed it - like PCVS will be. There should be rejoicing for what is planned for PTBO and PCVS.
In regards to hiring a student.. that you suggest might be loyal to my company. I don't believe that. If I had to make hard and very practical decision to change the way the company was run...to make it better.. they would likely protest and shut down the whole operation. They did it before and they would do it again.
But then I do not expect that you understood what I wrote in the first place. You and others can only hear one thing - yourself.
Bless you with an old building and old ideas that will never change. That after all is Peterborough for the most part - a very old city with some very set ways.
God help the students from here to see the world that desperately needs their help. And I seriously pray that some will see the need and MOVE ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS AT HAND.
Thank you for the prompt reply. I agree that us adults shouldn't live in the past. I left Peterborough decades ago, as did many graduates. The adults have moved on, but they would like that resource available to the children of today and tomorrow, especialy since they are growing up in a very old city with very set ways. If there were no children being born in Peterborough County then I'd say shut it down and turn the space into a garden or something. I'm not there any more. My friends aren't there anymore. We've gone to university and have our own lives, but this isn't about us.
In my time, and indeed now, the kids are bussed in from all over the county, people who never would have met without PCVS. The current kids won't be moving all together to the same school. A good percentage will be separated. You may be right in saying that it's a pointless cause but the activism of thoses kids is out of love for one another, and hope for the generations to come.
The reason I wondered if you were upset about your own school closing is because you seem to be taking the cause quite personally. How is a pro-school sign an attack on you? If it has to do with the money involved in the lawsuit, why say you won't hire the kids? They aren't the ones hiring the lawyers. They just want to stay together. Is it so wrong to be young and have such school spirit?
way to go Murray, say it like it is. What are the students learning from this? To disrespect authority and their decisions for one thing. Do they think their teachers are superior to all the other school teachers? Life is about change, every day of their life they will experience change, change of job, change of home, change of family unit etc.,if they can't deal with this school closure, they are in for a tough life. Mare ps. It seems to me that the new 'residents' of the school, being adults, will have just as much, if not more money in their pockets to buy downtown.
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