Father charged after alleged bullying incident at Quebec school
A father has been charged with assault and uttering threats after he allegedly went after his son's apparent bully in a confrontation outside a high school about 80 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
The incident has drawn the attention of Quebec's education minister who said he wants answers after the altercation involving multiple students was caught on video. Meanwhile, parents say the École Pierre-De-Lestage in Berthierville, Que. is known to have frequent fights.
The video shows at least three high school students, including one who pushes a boy over while yelling at him. The boy gets up but the story doesn't end there.
In a second video, the father of the boy who appears to be bullied confronts the youth and yells that he'll put them in the ground if they touch his son again. The exchange ends with one of the students appearing to be pushed into the snow.
Parents of children who attend the school say the torment has become too common.
"I'm fed up. I'm really fed up," said Sophie Girard, whose 16-year-old daughter was bullied so badly that she said she contemplated taking her own life last year.
"Every day, she's told to go kill herself," the mother said. "She got a message at the beginning of the year with a picture of her sitting in class from behind and it said by the end of the year I'll send you to the hospital."
Education Minister Bernard Drainville said he was "very troubled" by the incident and has asked the school's service centre to look into the matter.
"Very, very saddened. And I want to know what happened," Drainville said Wednesday.
He said that since 2006, every school is supposed to have an anti-bullying and anti-violence plan.
While the minister said the first video is upsetting, "We must also say that we cannot condone in any way, shape or form a parent who decides to make justice himself."
The Centre multiservice des Samares didn't respond to an interview request on Wednesday.
Parents say there are often fights at the school and accuse staff of not intervening.
"I went and picked up my daughter from school and I had to get involved because no one was bothering to step in," said Girard, adding that when punishments are given out, they aren't severe enough.
Her daughter missed so many classes to get away from tormentors that she had to repeat the 8th grade.
"Parents have reached that point of frustration," she said, adding that they are trying to protect their children.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 4 dead, including infant, in wrong-way crash involving police on Ontario's Highway 401
A wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. last night has left four people dead, including an infant, Ontario’s police watchdog says.
BREAKING Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. If he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canadian economy loses steam after strong start to year, grows 0.2% in February
Canada's GDP rose 0.2 per cent in February, driven by a rebound in transportation and warehousing, which saw the largest recorded month-to-month rise in over a year at 1.4 per cent.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Police searching for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S., residents asked to shelter in place
Residents in the area of Gaston Road in Dartmouth, N.S., are being asked to shelter in place as police search for an armed suspect.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.