Vouvoyer in all schools in Quebec

The minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, presented his plan on Thursday to bring more good citizenship and respect in Quebec schools: in addition to the complete prohibition of cell cells, the “will become the norm” in all Quebec schools. Here is an overview of the measures announced.

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Vouvoire in all schools

Vouvoire towards school staff will be imposed in all schools, whether public or private. Students will also have to contact school staff using the formulations “Madame” and “Monsieur”. “It marks respect for the function, it marks respect for adults,” said the minister. This is a measure which, added to others, “will end up creating this culture of respect and civility that we want to establish in schools,” he added. Schools will have to modify their life code accordingly and these measures will become compulsory at the latest in January 2026. These are “fairly major” changes since the vouvoyant is only present in a minority of schools currently, the Quebec Federation of Establishments Directions indicates. Its president, Nicolas Prévost, who sees it as a “small revolution”, while being concerned with the interference of the minister “in many things in the school”.

Sanctions to be defined

The life codes of schools will also have to include other rules of common life, so that students are more respectful of each other. Sanctions will have to be applied according to the severity of the gestures committed, indicates the minister, which can go from a warning to the expulsion of the student. Repairing gestures “will also be asked for intimate students”, so that they are aware of the consequences of their gestures. Minister Drainville, however, ensures that schools will have the room for maneuver necessary to determine these sanctions. “We must leave latitude to schools,” he said.

Intervention teams to help schools

Minister Drainville has also announced the creation of specialized intervention teams – much like “SWAT teams“, He said-composed of experts who will be able to help schools occasionally that are struggling with serious problems of violence. A sum of 2.3 million, allowing almost fifty interventions per year, is available. The ministry is currently working with seven schools which have already expressed their interest in reinforcement, while a first team will be deployed shortly. However, this measure had already been announced in the action plan to combat violence and intimidation, presented in October 2023.

Public and private schools will have to modify their life code accordingly and these measures will become compulsory from January 2026.

These measures are added to the complete prohibition of cellular in all schools in Quebec, during breaks and dinner time, including on the outside field, from fall.