Eastern Townships French immersion program scaled back; parents question the timing
For decades, English-speaking students at a Cowansville high school, in the Eastern Townships, could attend a popular French immersion program for a three-year program.
But with only weeks left in the school year, local parents just discovered that Massey-Vanier high school is scaling back the program, offering it only in two years and then switching students back to English for their final year of high school.
The decision has left locals scratching their heads, coming especially as the province was preparing to pass a new, stricter language law encouraging French use even more, especially in education.
"I think speaking French is a necessity, especially these days in Quebec," said Spenser Beaulne, who did the program himself and whose younger sister was about to start it.
"More and more regulations are coming out, and trying to offer both languages is pretty important no matter where you are."
The Eastern Townships' school board said they made the decision for COVID-related reasons, though not in the public health sense.
They dropped the Secondary 3 immersion program after consulting with students, who said they were concerned about spending more time in a closed group after spending two years with COVID-19 restrictions.
That explanation doesn't sit well with parents, who said it's them, not their kids, who should be making such important decisions.
"I don’t know any kid who will say 'Please, give me more work, please make it harder for me, please challenge me, especially at that age range,'" said Jessica Brown-Gauthier, Spenser Beaulne's mother, whose plan was to send her daughter through the program.
The school board says it also consulted with its governing board, which approved the decision. It was up to parents to seek more information, the board said.
But parents who spoke to CTV said everyone not directly affected were left out of that conversation, even if the future changes would still affect them.
Now, they say, if the full program just disappears, it might be hard to ever bring it back.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.