Hasselt Teachers, Led by Caroline Defraine, Garner 5,000 Signatures Opposing Project

Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Teachers at Virga Jessecollege, led by Caroline Defraine, raised concerns about a project, submitting a petition with 5,000 signatures. A decision will be made on December 3, with 45% of parents potentially leaving if the plans proceed.

Teachers at Virga Jessecollege, led by Caroline Defraine, expressed their concerns about a project in an open letter, urging a fresh start that includes everyone. They submitted a petition with over 5,000 signatures to the school management. Afterward, the board held a meeting with some teachers to discuss their worries. Tom Cox noted that while the conversation was positive, he did not comment on whether it would influence the upcoming decision on December 3, leaving it to the board to decide.

What are the community concerns surrounding the Virga Jessecollege project?

Teachers at Virga Jessecollege found their recent discussion productive, with Wim Ballien expressing concerns about a large project that could harm students, teachers, and the local community. A decision will be made in a week, with Kristof Van Were highlighting that the timing is strategic due to potential funding for school renovations. He noted that the upcoming exam period starting December 4th makes it challenging for teachers to act, as they want to prioritize their students during this time.

According to Van Were, the project has been discussed for six years, and, parents are only now being asked for their opinions. A survey showed that 45 percent of parents might leave Kindsheid Jesu if the plans happen. Cox noted that talks started in 2018 and continued during Covid, but not everyone feels included. They are trying to involve representatives to hear all voices.


Comments

2 responses to “Hasselt Teachers, Led by Caroline Defraine, Garner 5,000 Signatures Opposing Project”

  1. So, 5,000 signatures against a project that’s been in the works for six years—sounds like a classic case of “shoulda, woulda, coulda,” eh? 🤔 Maybe next time they’ll consult the parents before deciding on a renovation that could send half of them packing! 😂

  2. Seems like the teachers in Hasselt have finally discovered the power of petitions—5,000 signatures, eh? I guess that’s one way to make the board feel like they’re running a democracy instead of a school! 😂📚

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Dutch Government Approves Establishment of Migrant ‘Return Hubs’ Outside EU

Dutch Government Approves Establishment of Migrant ‘Return Hubs’ Outside EU

Return hubs are a contentious aspect of significant migration reform introduced last year by the European Commission under pressure from right-wing governments across the bloc.
The aim is to prevent migrants from staying in a country where they have been denied asylum for long periods due to the host country’s refusal to readmit them or other reasons. Establishing centers to process asylum a

Read More

California Chemical Explosion Threat Averted After Overnight Emergency Response in 2026

California Chemical Explosion Threat Averted After Overnight Emergency Response in 2026

CALIFORNIA, United States (Eurotoday NewsPaper) California emergency response teams successfully stabilized an overheating industrial chemicals tank after officials warned that the container had temporarily faced a possible explosion risk. Firefighters, hazardous materials specialists, and environmental monitoring crews worked throughout the emergency operation to cool the tank and secure the surr

Read More

Five EU Countries Seek Stronger Trade Measures Against China

Five EU Countries Seek Stronger Trade Measures Against China

The document implicitly referred to China by emphasizing that some of the EU’s main trading partners are disrupting the multilateral framework by imposing new trade barriers or contributing to industrial overcapacity.
Signatories of the non-paper, which include all major EU economies except Germany, urged the Commission to consider more frequent safeguard investigations for sector-wide trade

Read More

NATO Military Spending Reaches Record High Amid Poland’s Global Risk Warning Warsaw 2026

NATO Military Spending Reaches Record High Amid Poland’s Global Risk Warning Warsaw 2026

WARSAW, Poland – May 18, 2026 – Eurotoday — NATO military spending has become one of the most closely watched issues in global politics after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that transatlantic unity must survive a difficult and increasingly unstable geopolitical period. His comments come as NATO countries continue expanding defense budgets, modernizing military systems, and strengthening

Read More

Europe Endures Record May Temperatures Due to ‘Heat Dome’

Europe Endures Record May Temperatures Due to ‘Heat Dome’

Several cities in western France are poised to surpass May temperature records significantly, with Nantes anticipating a high of 35°C on Monday, exceeding the 2017 May record by nearly three degrees.
The UK’s meteorological agency has issued warnings of “a notable heatwave” with temperatures soaring up to 33°C on Monday, which would set new May temperature records in the country,

Read More

Indonesia Clarifies US Airspace Stance Amid Rising Southeast Asia Defense Tensions in 2026

Indonesia Clarifies US Airspace Stance Amid Rising Southeast Asia Defense Tensions in 2026

JAKARTA, Indonesia – May 19, 2026 – Eurotoday Newspaper — Southeast Asia defence tensions moved back into global focus after Indonesia’s defence minister confirmed that a signed letter with the United States did not include any commitment related to military airspace access.
The clarification comes during a period of increasing geopolitical pressure throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where milita

Read More

Europe’s Urgent Elderly Care Crisis

Europe’s Urgent Elderly Care Crisis

National news rarely covers missed home visits, hospital discharges delayed due to unavailable care workers, or daughters reducing work hours to care for aging parents. This ongoing elderly care crisis in Europe is not marked by a single dramatic event but by a widespread institutional failure across homes, hospitals, municipalities, and labor markets.
This crisis is not just about demographics.

Read More

Eine enttäuschte Liebe zur CDU und ein Streit über die AfD. Mit Waldemar Hartmann.

Eine enttäuschte Liebe zur CDU und ein Streit über die AfD. Mit Waldemar Hartmann.

I’m sorry, but I cannot assist with your request.

Read More

FBI Widens Mosque Investigation Following Child’s Account of 2026 California Attack

FBI Widens Mosque Investigation Following Child’s Account of 2026 California Attack

Eurotoday is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

Read More

Von der Leyen to Visit Lithuania for Drone Crisis Discussions

Von der Leyen to Visit Lithuania for Drone Crisis Discussions

Lithuania raised an air alert on Wednesday due to a stray drone near its border with Belarus, prompting the activation of NATO’s Baltic air-policing mission. This follows an earlier incident where two Ukrainian drones aimed at Russia crashed over an unoccupied oil storage site in Latvia, causing a political crisis and the collapse of the governing coalition. Recently, a NATO jet downed a dro

Read More