Minister suspends licences of 11 teachers at Montreal's Bedford school after allegations of mistreatment
Quebec Premier François Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was "shocked" by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as "Islamist" beliefs.
Legault appointed Education Minister Bernard Drainville and Jean-François Roberge, the minister responsible for secularism, to come up with solutions to prevent religion from creeping into classrooms following a government report into Montreal's Bedford school.
"There is something very disturbing in this case. It is this attempt by a group of teachers to introduce Islamist religious concepts into a public school," Legault wrote on social media. "In Quebec, we decided a long time ago to remove religion from public schools. We will never accept going back."
The Centre de services scolaire de Montréal — Quebec's largest school service centre — said Saturday that 11 teachers were suspended with pay after a government investigation found that a "dominant clan" at Bedford school imposed strict, autocratic rule over students.
The investigation revealed that the teachers — many of whom were of North African descent — were allegedly influenced by the local mosque and subjected children to physical and psychological violence. They either refused to teach — or paid little attention to — the science and sex education curriculum.
The evidence gathered suggested some teachers didn't believe in learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders and refused to let specialists in the classroom, believing instead that discipline — with the idea of "breaking" the student — would put them on the "right path."
Witnesses told the government investigators that local religious leaders exerted a “strong influence” on several school staff and a mosque representative underscored to school officials the importance of having good relations with the place of worship.
The report mentioned that there were staff members of North African descent who were part of the opposition to the methods of the "dominant clan."
During a news conference Tuesday in Quebec City, Drainville announced that the 11 teachers — a mix of men and women — have had their teaching licences suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary investigations.
"I've raised examples of religious behaviours — whether it is the teacher who starts praying before a student who collapsed in the classroom, whether the classes in science or sexual education are not being taught properly, whether girls were forbidden to play soccer, whether there were interventions by representatives of the mosque nearby to ask the school to behave in a certain way," Drainville said.
Drainville said preliminary findings show the province's secularism law — known as Bill 21 — was not being respected at the school.
"According to the members of the committee, there is an issue with the respect of the law on secularism and therefore we have a responsibility to look into what could be done to strengthen this law in relation to Bedford and possibly in relation to other schools in Quebec," Drainville said.
Legault said it was unthinkable in Quebec in 2024 that teachers were avoiding subjects like science and sex education. "As a government, our first responsibility is to clean up this school to protect the children," he wrote. "We must also think more broadly to avoid other situations that are just as shocking and, above all, so devastating for children."
Bill 21 was passed in 2019 and declares the province is a secular state and includes a provision prohibiting public sector workers in positions of authority — including teachers, judges, and police officers — from wearing religious symbols on the job.
Neither Drainville nor Roberge was prepared to say Tuesday what specific steps they would take to address the issue.
"Sometimes you don't have to change the law," Roberge said. "You have to apply it, and it's the job of the principal, it's the job of the management team of the school centre."
The government’s investigation was triggered by reports by Montreal's 98.5 FM beginning in May 2023 about a toxic climate at the school. Education department employees conducted more than 102 hours of interviews with 73 people, and attended a school governing board meeting. The testimonies provided a portrait of a problem stretching back to 2016, as school principals came and went in quick succession.
Drainville has ordered audits at three other Montreal schools — two elementary schools and a high school — that allegedly had similar problems related to the school environment and governance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Halifax police confirm body of Walmart employee was found in walk-in oven
Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.
Man charged after attempting to force his way into the House of Commons: police
On the tenth anniversary of the shooting on Parliament Hill, a man was arrested and charged with trespassing as he attempted to push past security guards into the House of Commons.
'We all got through it': Canadian family stuck in Cuba recalls ordeal amid massive blackout
Ellen Francis says she and her family were having a great time at one of Cuba's famously stunning beaches and exploring the popular tourist town of Varadero when the situation turned into something like a scary movie.
Kevin Vickers says 'not a day that goes by' he doesn't think about Parliament Hill shooting
On the 10-year anniversary of the deadly Parliament Hill shooting, former sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers says there's 'not a day that goes by' where he doesn't think about it.
Cooldown expected across Canada before above-seasonal temperatures return
Canada is getting served a smorgasbord of weather this week. The West saw its first sign of winter, while the eastern half of Canada experienced summer-like temperatures on Tuesday.
No Canadians in Cuba have requested consular assistance, Global Affairs says
None of the more than 1,600 Canadians currently registered in Cuba have requested consular assistance in returning to Canada, Global Affairs Canada confirmed to CTVNews.ca.
One dead in multistate E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders, CDC says
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Tuesday regarding an E. coli outbreak that it says is linked with McDonald's Quarter Pounders.
Former Conservative leader says Trudeau 'should move on' amid efforts to oust him
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'should move on,' as he faces growing inner-caucus turmoil.
Butter shoplifters strike again! Two more large-scale thefts reported in Guelph, Ont.
At least seven large-scale butter thefts have been reported in Guelph, Ont. over a 10-month period, including two hauls in just the last month.