Police were called in Thursday night at the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) special meeting, where parents were furious after learning the board voted to add more schools to their cohabitation proposal to the Pointe de l’Ile board (CSPI).

“This has to be the most incoherent group of people,” said Antonio Zaruso, a parent at General Vanier Elementary, referring to the board’s decision. “You want a freak show? It’s right there.”

EMSB spokesperson Michael Cohen told parents that police were called by a security guard, who became alarmed after seeing how agitated parents were.

Police later left the meeting after they were asked to do so by the board’s chairperson, Angela Mancini.

Parents became frustrated as they learned the details of the proposal.

In addition to suggesting cohabitation at Gerald McShane Elementary and General Vanier Elementary, they will add Lester B. Pearson High School and Laurier Macdonald High School to the proposal.

John Paul I Junior High School, however, is no longer on the list.

Parents of students at Lester B. Pearson who were at the meeting were stunned to find out their school was an option.

“This is a very huge bombshell,” said Franco Mazzariello, a parent with Lester B. Pearson Highschool. “It’s frustrating not knowing about it in advance.”

Others were left wondering why John Paul I Junior High School was now off the table.

The EMSB also voted to launch a major school change consultation on June 26th. The board will look at which schools to close and which ones to merge so they can be the ones choosing which schools they’ll hand over to the overcrowded Pointe de l’Ile board — not Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge.

Roberge had given the EMSB until June 10th to negotiate with the Pointe de l’Ile board and come up with a solution or risk losing Gerald McShane, John Paul I Junior High School and George Vanier Elementary.

He then extended the deadline to June 26th but the board says the CSPI hasn’t accepted any of the proposals they have presented.

“I can understand the frustration of parents, having said that, there are parts of this resolution that will help to avoid giving up those schools,” EMSB chair Angela Mancini said.

EMSB vice-chair Joe Ortona says the board is appealing directly to the minister to consider this offer.

“Just because the CSPI has refused to agree with us on any proposal, he should not be rewarding them with schools and punishing us by taking our schools when we are the ones who’ve always sat down at the table and offered everything we possibly could,” Ortona said.

The EMSB will hold a regular board meeting next Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.where it’s expected they will further discuss the issue.

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