The Save SCITS group is accusing the Lambton Kent District School Board of staging repairs at the school on the day of public tours.
Wednesday about 40 members of the public went through the facility but were greeted by scaffolding and downed ceiling tiles at the grand entrance.
Save SCITS member Susan MacKenzie believes this was done on purpose.
"It looked like they were changing light bulbs, there were ceiling tiles down, it was obviously staged because work like that is not normally done during school hours," says MacKenzie. "I believe it's just another ploy by the school board to make the public think that SCITS is in bad condition."
There were also reports of a washroom being closed and maintenance being done in the pool area.
LKDSB Superintendent of Education Gary Girardi says the repairs had been planned a long time ago.
"Maintenance is done on a daily basis and on a pre-determined schedule," says Girardi. "There was no attempt on our part to disrupt the tour and I would say the fact that we were doing routine maintenance, in no way portrayed the school in a negative light."
The school board is proposing closing SCITS and consolidating students at St. Clair high school. MacKenzie says they've received wide-spread support to keep the historic high school open.
MacKenzie says she's looking forward to the March 8 Accommodation Review Committee meeting at SCITS where members of the public will have a chance to speak.
