Teachers under tension: works under study, including a book by Michel Jean, are contested by CEGEP students

CEGEP students who are opposed to reading feminist works, a novel about residential schools or watching a film about slavery. Academic freedom is being undermined in CEGEPs, to such an extent that a teachers’ union federation is calling for a law in the college network to better protect it.

• Also read: For better recognition of academic freedom at college

The wind still speaks about it is a novel by Michel Jean about residential schools, which includes rape and suicide.

Recently, a student objected to this reading, believing that this content could offend minors, told the Journal a teacher, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from her CEGEP.

However, this is one example among many: more and more works studied in class, such as the film Slave for 12 years or books on consent, are the subject of contestation by students, for different reasons (see examples below).

A CEGEP teacher was even accused of racism by a student after asserting in class “that certain countries in Africa are poorer than those in North America,” we can read among the comments collected by the Federation of college education (FEC-CSQ) among its members, during a survey on academic freedom carried out recently.

Self-censorship

“There is really an observation that emerges, which is that in general, teachers often walk on eggshells,” affirms its president, Youri Blanchet, who evokes a “discomfort” in connection with reactions coming from students on content covered in class.

Result: half of CEGEP teachers say they practice self-censorship for fear of complaints or reprisals. “Self-censorship wreaks more havoc than institutional censorship,” wrote a teacher as part of this consultation.

Freedom of expression under threat

The freedom of expression of teachers is also threatened, believes the federation, while teachers have received disciplinary measures after speaking out publicly on subjects indirectly linked to their employer.

Several administrations also refuse to allow their teachers to speak publicly, even in a personal capacity, by identifying their CEGEP of origin.

To remedy the situation, the FEC-CSQ asks Quebec to protect academic freedom in the college network through new legislation or the expansion of Law 32 protecting academic freedom in the university network, which came into force there two years ago, in the wake of the Lieutenant-Duval affair at the University of Ottawa.

A legislative framework would make it possible to impose mechanisms on college establishments which could go well beyond what is provided for in teachers’ collective agreements, explains Mr. Blanchet.

In the office of the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, however, it is indicated that the expansion of academic freedom at college “is not among the priorities, in the context where collective agreements regulate this freedom.”

CEGEP teachers under tension

“A student accused me of discrimination and racism. […] It started with his refusal to watch the film Twelve Years a Slave and his refusal to evaluate it. […] I’ve never had any problems watching this movie before. »

“A student objected to reading the novel The wind is still talking about it by Michel Jeanon residential schools (where there is talk of rape and suicide). He believed that social problems did not have to be addressed in CEGEP classes.”

“I taught works that were too feminist in the eyes of students and I was strongly criticized for it, I was called a frustrated feminist”

Excerpts from teachers’ comments collected by the Fédération de l’enseignement collegiale (FEC-CSQ) during a survey or by The Journal during interviews conducted by him.

Other examples of works seen in class and challenged by students:

• The short story “The childhood of art” in The Montreal Auroras by Monique Proulx, who deals with juvenile prostitution;
• Broken line by Katherena Vermette, which deals with sexual abuse;
• Consentby Vanessa Springora, and Walking in the forestby Catherine Leroux, which relate to the notion of consent;
• News raising cruelty against animals like “Faust”, in Time by Ana Maria Matute, and CocoIn Tales of day and night de Maupassant;
• The big notebook by Agota Kristof, about the horrors of war.

The author Michel Jean surprised that his novel was challenged in class

Author and journalist Michel Jean is “surprised” to learn that his novel The wind still speaks about it was challenged by a CEGEP student in class, even though this work has been under study for years in several secondary schools.

“It makes me a little angry, in a way, because this novel tells an important story of Quebec,” says the author of this book recounting the story of three young people sent to a native residential school after being torn away to their families.

“People realize that big pieces, important chapters of the big book of Quebec history are missing in the classes. Literature allows us to tell important social, political and historical phenomena through a novel, which often makes it more interesting for the reader,” he adds.

There is indeed talk of a rape and a suicide in the work, scenes inspired by real attacks that occurred in boarding schools, but which are not at the heart of the book nor presented in a graphic way, specifies the author.

“You have to have sensitivity when you say these things, but you also have to be able to say them so that they are heard,” he adds. I think that at 17 or 18, we are old enough to address questions that are part of the history of Quebec.”

Michel Jean is nevertheless delighted that the CEGEP management supported the teacher, rather than bowing to the student’s demands.

“You have to listen to criticism, but you also have to make a decision based on common sense, and not based on fear,” he says.