Catholic school board officials say students returning to Notre Dame School in Caledonia face no threat from natives occupying the neighbouring Douglas Creek Estates.
But that wasn't good enough for some parents who turned out to a raucous meeting at the Braemar Avenue school last night to hear how board officials are going to deal with worries about their children getting caught up in some type of troubling event.
A large number of the more than 300 people packed into the school's gymnasium urged the board to relocate the students to another location. Some said they would not let their children attend Notre Dame until the land dispute, which began six months ago, is over.
"I just find it unfathomable you would roll the dice," one woman admonished officials. "I'm not even suggesting it will be something from the native side ... I find it absolutely unfathomable you would put these children in this situation."
While officials said children are safe, they did unveil actions they hope will ease the minds of parents. They plan to install a six-foot high privacy fence at the rear of the property and the Ontario Provincial Police will have an officer at the school full-time.
Principal Joe DiFrancesco will not be given teaching duties so he can deal with concerns from parents, and a social worker and child youth worker will be available when required. A tree-lined berm will eventually be built across the back of the school property.
The school has 500 students between junior kindergarten and Grade 8.
"We would not be holding classes for 500 students in this school if we did not believe it was a safe place," education director Theresa Harris said. She and others said the occupiers have never done anything to the children and provincial negotiator John Nolan said Six Nations chiefs have been "appalled" at any suggestion Six Nations people would harm children.
The meeting also involved officials from the OPP and the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. In the crowd were Haldimand Mayor Marie Trainer, mayoral candidate Lorraine Bergstrand, Brant MPP Dave Levac and officials from the Ministry of Education.
Cliff Casey, chair of the Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic School Board at one point threatened to adjourn the meeting if people didn't stop interrupting speakers. It took Father George Sammit from St. Patrick's Church to calm the crowd down.
"We aren't going to end up with peace by yelling at each other," he said.