Moncton’s deputy mayor has told city council that three inner-city schools need help to deal with the homeless and related drug problems.
Bryan Butler said the staff at Hillcrest, Bessborough and Edith Cavell Schools are all facing similar issues and feel helpless.
“Every morning they come in early to clean the playgrounds and needles. They have confrontations with people that are sleeping there overnight. You know when you hear their voice it’s breaking and they’re exhausted. They don’t know what to do,” noted Butler.
“We have to do something not just even for them but for the children who go to the schools. They have enough going on at home, some of them. They don’t have to come to school and get pricked by a needle.”
City manager Marc Landry told council he will get in touch with the Anglophone East School District in hopes of forming some kind of partnership.
Landry added the city and the school district each have resources that could hopefully improve the situation.
Butler urged Landry to act quickly and report back to council with any updates.
