Molly Burgess knew one thing had occurred to her 11-year-old son as quickly as she noticed him.
He had simply arrived dwelling from college and was visibly upset. His face was pink and he burst into tears. She took him into her arms and realized he was very chilly and moist.
Mark had left college final Tuesday carrying solely a T-shirt and his indoor footwear. His jacket, hat, winter boots and backpack had been all left in his locker at Barnhill Memorial Faculty, a center college on Saint John’s west aspect.
Based on Surroundings Canada data, Saint John was experiencing freezing drizzle on the time, with a wind chill of –5.
Mark, a Grade 6 scholar at Barnhill, advised her that his locker had been bolted shut with every thing inside. He thought he was in bother and was too afraid to ask anybody at college earlier than he went outdoors to attend for his bus, she mentioned.
Burgess was incensed.
Molly Burgess’s 11-year-old son left Barnhill Memorial Faculty with out his winter garments and his homework after his locker was bolted shut, and he or she desires that apply to cease.
She mentioned she referred to as the varsity instantly and the principal, Jill Ferguson, referred to as her again the subsequent day. However Burgess wasn’t content material with what she was advised.
She mentioned Ferguson reminded her that folks had beforehand been warned in a e-newsletter that college students had been supposed to maintain their lockers locked. Burgess mentioned Ferguson promised to “do higher” and mentioned college officers weren’t speculated to bolt the lockers of Grade 6 college students.
CBC Information requested Ferguson and the Anglophone South Faculty District for interviews however neither responded.
Burgess mentioned Ferguson bought a brand new lock for Mark — one with a key he might put on on a lanyard round his neck as an alternative of utilizing a mix lock, which he had bother manipulating.
In a e-newsletter from the varsity in September, college students had been advised they had been liable for offering a lock for his or her locker “to maintain their private belongings secure.”
Though Mark was chilly, moist and upset, Burgess wonders what might have occurred if employees had locked a scholar’s epi-pen or puffer inside their locker, or their home keys, in the event that they had been a kind of children who go dwelling to empty homes.
“Realistically, I feel Mark’s was one of the best case state of affairs,” she mentioned. “He has a bus cease that is very near his dwelling.”
Pushing for modifications
Burgess would love the varsity to cease bolting lockers shut in any respect grade ranges, she mentioned.
“They should not be allowed to lock the lockers if they don’t seem to be going to verify the kids have their issues,” she mentioned.
“I might wish to see them not being allowed to bolt the locker shut. I feel it isn’t efficient. I feel that my son did not must have any of this occur to him. He did not have to be chilly. He did not have to be moist.”
If the varsity desires all lockers stored locked, and so they discover one which is not, Burgess mentioned they need to verify inside earlier than they bolt it, discover out who the locker belongs to and discuss to the coed.
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