Parents fighting the closure of two rural schools in Mission got vastly different outcomes Tuesday night.

After keeping the audience in suspense for more than two hours, the Mission Board of Education decided to close Durieu Elementary School but kept Deroche Elementary School open during a meeting at Hatzic Secondary School.

Audible sighs of relief were heard from Deroche parents as the board voted three to two to save the school.

Any celebration was immediately drowned out by angry shouts from Durieu parents - a number of whom stormed out of the meeting in protest - following the board's unanimous decision to close their elementary school in June.

Durieu and its parent advisory council (PAC) had called on the board to commit to the traditional model and make Durieu a choice school to ensure its longevity.

A number of trustees said they were interested in maintaining a traditional choice school model; however, they didn't think it was viable at Durieu, a rural school on the eastern reaches of the district.

"I don't think it's sustainable," said trustee Randy Cairns.

"It's difficult to see how Durieu will be able to get 30 new students."

A district report stated a district-wide decline in student enrolment and budget pressures were the reasons for considering the closures.

The district is facing a $4 million-plus deficit within three years if no measures are taken, staff stated at the meeting.

Durieu has experienced an enrolment decline of 23.4 per cent over the last five years, and the fall in student numbers is expected to continue until 2014/15, according to district figures.

It was estimated closing Durieu will save the school district $298,000, while shutting Deroche would have netted another $288,000.

Durieu parents had argued closing the school would amount to "false economy" as the district could lose provincial rural school subsidies and as much as $180,000 in funding when students transferred to Abbotsford or other private schools.

Parents from both schools said closures would leave them without a community hub and young children would have to travel long distances on the bus.

Trustees Cindy Miller and Karen Petty voted to shut both schools, citing looming financial and deficit problems.

Trustee Cairns along with trustees Carol Hamilton and Pam Alexis voted to save Deroche.

The trio expressed concerns around how Deroche students - the majority of whom are aboriginal - would weather the transition if the school were closed.

Deroche serves an important role in providing community programming, which people may not be able to obtain elsewhere if the school was shut, they stated.

Poverty and lack of contact with community elders were also mentioned as concerns.

"The disruption if we close Deroche outweighs the benefits of any savings," said Alexis, adding efforts should be made to connect Deroche to other organizations such as the University of the Fraser Valley.

Following the board's decision, one Durieu parent suggested the board had violated the Canadian Charter of Rights because it based the decision around closing schools on race and economic status, and as such had discriminated against students at Durieu.

Richelle Meneghetti, treasurer of Deroche's parent advisory council, said the comments were likely the result of heightened emotions.

"It's hurtful to hear [the comments], but I understand where the frustration comes from," she said.

"Hearing a unanimous decision against your school and community can't be easy."

Leq'a:mel Chief Alice Thompson said she was disappointed First Nations students were the focus of the conversation around saving Deroche.

"[The decision] shouldn't have hinged on aboriginal students. I wanted the decision to be around the growth potential for the whole school as a community centre," she said, adding perhaps daycare and community health services could be established.

"I'm really looking forward to see what we can bring to Deroche and make better use of the facility in the future."

Durieu students will be relocated to Hatzic Elementary School in September of 2011.

The district will work with students, parents and staff to ensure the transition to new schools is managed in the best way possible, said district superintendent Frank Dunham.