Telegraph Journal: Bathurst school accused of not following standards

Published Thursday October 22nd, 2009

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Safety: Proper tires not installed on school vehicle, say mothers who lost sons in crash

A5 MARTY KLINKENBERG
Telegraph-Journal

BATHURST - With snow forecast in northern New Brunswick today, two mothers are upset because they say a small bus used to transport students to extracurricular activities at Bathurst High School is not fully equipped with winter tires.

Marcella Kelly and Isabelle Hains, both of whom lost sons in a horrific crash on Jan. 12, 2008, allege that a multi-purpose vehicle operated by the school is fitted with winter tires on the back - and two all-season radials on the front.

Kelly says she inspected the tires this week as the vehicle was being worked on in a garage in Bathurst. Surprised by what she found, she says she asked an employee about the combination of tires and was told, "That is the way they want it."

"I was shocked," Kelly said Wednesday as she sat beside Hains in her living room, a photo on the wall behind them of the seven members of the Bathurst High basketball team who died. "Why not be as safe as possible and also put winter tires on the front?

"It would appear they haven't learned their lesson."

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