'This is not acceptable': More allegations of racist bullying at Montreal-area school
A Quebec woman is planning to open a complaint with the Quebec Human Rights Commission over the response of her son's elementary school to what she called racist bullying from other students.
"This is not acceptable, no one should be going through things like this," said Noemi Teran, whose 11-year-old son attends McCaig Elementary School in Rosemere, north of Montreal.
"I'm not getting treated like the other students in the school," said her son, who Teran requested not be named publically. "People say racist comments about me."
Teran is working with the Centre for Research Action on Race Relations (CRARR), a local advocacy organization that is filing the complaint on her behalf.
It would be the second complaint filed by the CRARR involving McCaig in the last five years.
In 2017, another parent filed a similar complaint against McCaig's board, Sir Wilfred Laurier, which was upheld by the commission. In 2020, it told the school board to pay Adrienne Charles $30,000 for the alleged bullying her sons faced at the school.
"Racism slurs, name-calling, the N-word, Black people [being] compared to gorillas" were among the forms of bullying Charles said her sons experienced.
CRARR Executive Director Fo Niemi says the case is now before the Human Rights Tribunal.
"How many more cases do you need to basically say that there's a problem?" he said on Saturday.
Teran says she feels education staff are not taking her complaints seriously.
"They roll their eyes, they trivialize it, as if it's not serious," she alleged – claims echoed by the CRARR in a Friday press release.
CTV News reached out to the school board, which denied the allegations.
"We disagree with the allegations and wish to state in the strongest terms, that they do not reflect our values, position, nor our standards of educational practices," wrote board spokesperson Maxeen Jolin in a statement.
"At the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, we believe in and promote equity, inclusion and diversity. The CRARR has not communicated with us to validate the accuracy of any of these false allegations that do not reflect the facts."
"We do not and will not stand for discrimination against any individual or group, and we firmly believe that diversity is what makes us unique and stronger," Jolin continued, adding that the board was not able to provide further comments due to "confidentiality obligations."
Teran, assisted by the CRARR, says they are in the process of gathering evidence to support their complaint before approaching the commission.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.