Trustees storm out as Erie Migration Academy name changes

A fiery school board meeting saw two trustees storm out – and the controversial name for the new school in Kingsville changed.

A special meeting of the Greater Essex County District School Board was held Tuesday evening with only one item on the agenda: strike “academy” from the previously chosen name “Erie Migration Academy” and insert “District School.”

While the meeting agenda doesn’t source the recommendation to any specific trustee, Julia Burgess explained the original idea bore a problematic initialism.

“We have had this previous name vetted and unfortunately missed a vulgar acronym,” she said in the meeting. “It has had a lot of discussion in the public sphere and we don’t want our students, staff to be involved in the bullying that’s involved with a vulgar acronym.”

Erie Migration Academy was chosen for the institution after a 6-2 vote of the trustees on Feb. 20.

The six weeks since have seen an onslaught of upset , much of that directed at Burgess for bringing the name forward.

On Tuesday, Trustee Cathy Cooke demanded to know if Burgess was responsible for the partial change of the embattled moniker.

She was deemed out of order when asking and the answer was never given.

The name change passed 7-3 with Burgess asking that a vote be held without debate.

She was joined by trustees Gale Hatfield, Connie Buckler, Sarah Cipkar, Ron Le Clair, Kim McKinley and Christine Nelson in supporting the motion. Armstrong and Linda Qin opposed.

GECDSB Trustee Cathy Cook is seen leaving a meeting on April 2, 2024. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)Cooke, Nancy 

 

The result and removal of any option for discussion, frustrated Cooke and Armstrong and saw them leave, skipping out on the regularly scheduled public board meeting that followed.

“I think this whole thing was a terrible mess,” Cooke told members of the media in the hallway as she headed for the door. “What they did tonight was shut everybody up.”

"They didn't want to hear anything from anybody in the community. All they want to do is shove it through and that's what they did. And it was wrong,” said Cooke.

Armstrong declined to comment.

When asked if she thought she may face repercussions for storming out, Cooke said she wasn’t worried.

“I’m not elected to please the trustees or the chair, I’m elected because of people in the community,” she said.

Cooke noted the last election saw her garner the most votes out of the trustees chosen.

“I’m here for the right reasons, some aren’t,” Cooke said.

Burgess declined a request for an interview.

Erie Migration District School is scheduled to open in September, with 1,045 elementary and 753 secondary students from Kingsville and Harrow expected to attend.