Talk on Whitehorse French school draws big crowd

More than 100 parents and students came out Tuesday night to talk about a new French high school in Whitehorse.

Yukon Education Minister Scott Kent has proposed housing the new francophone school as part of the new F.H. CollinsSecondary School.

Parents were divided on the issue. Some, like Lana Demers, are afraid to combine a new French school into F.H. Collins.

"My biggest concern is assimilation or diluting our French language," she said.

Other parents like the idea, such as Gayle Cory, who has daughters in grades 7 and 10 at cole milie Tremblay.

"My girls feel isolated up at the French school and they would like to take more specialized courses," she said.

Many students reeled off the benefits of combining the schools: more courses, more sports, a better social life, enlarging their horizons, and getting for ready for university by attending a larger high school.

Grade 12 studentmeraude Dallaire is all for it.

"I went to EET [cole milie Tremblay] my whole life and then I changed to F.H. [Collins] this year because I don't want to graduate alone and it's abeautiful social aspect," she said.

Dallaire added that she wants to be with other kids.

Alexis Miller was one of the three graduates at cole milie Tremblay last year. She said students would benefit from getting exposure to a larger school.

"Honestly, I think that going into a bigger school will get us ready for what's coming up next in life, like we're not always going to be in small schools so it's just setting us up for reality I guess."

The French school board will now begin a formal process to examine all the options.