The English public school board serving Windsor-Essex has said the squabble over the name of a new school is finished.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) has indicated that the debate over the school name, Erie Migration District School, is no longer up for discussion.
"The decision to name the school Erie Migration District School has been discussed and debated and has twice been the subject of a majority vote of board members. It is concluded," read the statement, signed by board chair Gayle Simko-Hatfield. "GECDSB administration must now carry on to finish the outstanding operational matters so that the school building is complete for occupancy in the fall."
The controversy began in February when board trustees chose names for two schools set to open in the fall. In the case of the new Kingsville K-12 school, Trustee Julia Burgess put forth the name Erie Migration Academy, which was not on the shortlist suggested by a committee.
Burgess defended her decision by stating that the name was inclusive, meant to represent the student body starting classes there in September. However, the choice was very unpopular among students and parents. One reason was the fact the name was not on the shortlist, and the other was due to the school's acronym referring to an explicit sexual act.
After a promise to send the naming policy back to committee after a second meeting discussing the school name, the revised name of Erie Migration District School was decided upon following a heated meeting earlier this month.
Simko-Hatfield said the board must turn attention to other matters, and concerning the school name, it's time for those involved to deal with it.
"We, as a board, must look ahead to other, significant business, in particular, the budget for the 2024-25 school year, which presents several substantial challenges that will impact every aspect of the organization," wrote Simko-Hatfield. "As Chair of the Board of Trustees, I encourage all public school supporters in our community to be positively engaged in the continued success of our education system."
-with files from Adelle Loiselle