One Montreal-area school board is suspended its temporarily swimming program following the drowning death of a high school student.
The Marguerite-Bourgeois School Board, a French board on the West Island, said it is temporarily halting swimming lessons as it evaluates how to best apply the coroner's recommendations.
A coroner's report found 14-year-old Blessing Moukoko spent 38 minutes at the bottom of the Pere-Marquette Pool during a busy gym class Feb. 15.
Coroner Louis Normandin recommended that gym teachers be required to have a minimum of training if they are to give swimming lessons and that a lifeguard provide full-time surveillance during all courses. He said lessons should be suspended if those conditions can't be met.
Ecole Pere-Marquette is not part of the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Board, but the board will follow Normandin’s recommendations until it ensures it can meet the conditions he laid out.
