Community Learners High School in Saskatoon operating with no money after budget slashed

The Community Learners High School in Saskatoon has had its budget slashed to zero following the provincial budget.

Principal Keith Jorgenson said that he was disgusted and disappointed by the province's decision to withdraw funding from the alternative school, describing the cuts as "mean-spirited and uneducated."

"We're holding a sort of slim hope the government will sort of come to the realization that they made a mistake and correct it," Jorgenson said.

The schoollocated in Saskatoon's westside doubles as the Pleasant Hill Bakery. About 20 students there take part in vocational training while working part-time.

• Bakery converted into independent high school

The province said in an emailthatdecision to stop funding the school was, in part, based on a lack of students graduating with a Grade 12 diploma.

This isn't going to help those people leave social assistance and get jobs, enter the economy, become taxpayers.- Keith Jorgenson, Community Learner's High School

Jorgensonsaid that within the past year, the Community Learners High School saw seven of its students graduate with an Adult 12diploma that isgeared toward mature students.

"If I was somebody who graduated from here or another school using this method, I would be slightly insulted if someone in the ministry said that I didn't really graduate," Jorgenson said.

While the school has seen students graduate with an Adult 12 diploma, it has not had anyone graduate with a Grade 12 diploma.

Jorgenson said the ministry of education is "splitting hairs" in order to justify the discontinued funding to the school.

"Now that they're in a tight budgetary situation, they're asking Saskatchewan's most vulnerable people to bear the lion's share of the burden for the economic downturn, and I think that's unconscionable."

The statement from the province said that part of its decision to slash all funding was due in part to the school straying from its original mandate, which was to educate high school-aged students.

"While provincial funding for the school will end, Community Learners High School is still a registered independent school that may continue to offer educational services to high school aged students," the statement read.

"The ministry is willing to meet with Community Learners High School in the future to discuss the school's interest in returning to its original mandate."

Jorgenson said the Community Learners High School is willing to return to its original mandate, but has yet to hear from the Ministry of Education.

"This isn't going to help those people leave social assistance and get jobs, enter the economy, become taxpayers."