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
DEVELOPING Two-month GST holiday bill expected to pass the House tonight, Conservatives to vote against
The federal government's five-page piece of legislation to enact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promised two-month tax break on a range of consumer goods over the holidays, is expected to pass in the House of Commons by the end of the day.
Canada Post temporarily laying off striking workers, union says
The union representing Canada Post workers says the Crown corporation has been laying off striking employees as the labour action by more than 55,000 workers approaches the two-week mark.
Montreal shopping mall playing 'Baby Shark' song to prevent unhoused from loitering
A shopping mall and office complex in downtown Montreal is being criticized for using the popular children's song 'Baby Shark' to discourage unhoused people from loitering in its emergency exit stairwells.
B.C. man lied about cancer diagnosis while dodging $330K debt, court hears
A construction contractor from B.C.’s Lower Mainland has been ordered to repay a $330,000 loan from a friend who gave him leeway for years, despite her own financial suffering – all because she was under the false impression he had brain cancer.
Man jumps out of moving roller-coaster after safety belt fails
Terrifying video shows a man jumping out of a moving roller-coaster in Arizona after he says his safety belt failed.
What does a Canadian reverend think of Switzerland's AI Jesus?
As a reverend, Mark Kleiner's day often takes unexpected turns. But when he woke up this morning, he never imagined he'd be talking about an AI-generated Jesus.
Stowaway flew aboard Delta flight from New York to Paris after evading airline checkpoints at JFK
A stowaway evaded multiple airport security checkpoints and flew aboard a Delta Airlines flight from New York to Paris Tuesday evening, authorities said – a shocking breach that raised serious alarm over airport security.
Good Samaritan killed in tragic accident while helping stranded Calgary driver
Calgary police say a Good Samaritan who stopped to help another motorist was killed in an accident on Wednesday night.
The Vienna sausage stand is more than just a snack stall. Now it has a UNESCO heritage recognition
The Vienna sausage stand is a place where the street sweeper, the manager, the tourist and the celebrity converge for the same tasty snack. Now it also has the official stamp of approval as part of Austria’s heritage.