Students from the Palestinian community at Cité-des-Jeunes secondary school in Vaudreuil-Dorion, who had their flag removed during a parade on April 25, as part of a day multicultural, show videos that have circulated online. The school management claims to have intervened “out of concern for respect and neutrality”.
During the parade, we took out our Palestinian flag, then they came, then they tore it down. But the thing is, they didn’t tear down the other flags. Then, when we told them no, it’s our flag, they didn’t let us have it
explains a secondary 5 student at Cité-des-Jeunes, Fadwa Shalaby.
: “We did this with everyone, not just you”. Then, [ils] admitted that it was political, for political reasons”,”text”:”When we tried to have an explanation, [les membres du personnel] said: “We did this with everyone, not just you.” Then, [ils] admitted that it was political, for political reasons”}}”>When we tried to get an explanation, [les membres du personnel] said, “We did this with everyone, not just you.” Then, [ils] admitted it was political, for political reasons
she adds.
For its part, the school management maintains that no flag should be displayed and that students [en] were well informed
before the event takes place.
Other videos taken during the intercultural activity on April 25 show other students displaying the flag of Morocco or the Sikh community, freely, without intervention from secondary school staff.
I felt humiliated. I didn’t understand why the others had the right to have their flag, but not us. How do we become too political just with a flag and then our identity?
Parents marched with several dozen students from Cité-des-Jeunes to the constituency office of the federal MP for Vaudreuil–Soulanges, Peter Schiefke, in protest.
I think it’s weird, I don’t understand. […] Honestly, I know that there was the flag of Algeria, of Morocco, all the flags before them, but that it was only the flag of Palestine that was removed. That’s why the children were in shock
underlines a mother who participated in the demonstration.
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Parents accompanied students from Cité-des-Jeunes in their protest march.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Gabrielle Proulx
The Cité-des-Jeunes school explains
The day after the event, on April 26, the management of Cité-des-Jeunes addressed the parents of students in a letter.
We encountered an unexpected incident during the parade. Some groups of students of different nationalities displayed flags, in contradiction with our instructions. In an effort to preserve the neutrality and inclusiveness of the event, organizers attempted to move quickly to remove all flags. Explanations were then provided to the students concerned, in a spirit of dialogue and mutual understanding. […] We offer our sincere apologies to those who may have felt hurt or excluded by this event.
explains the management team of Cité-des-Jeunes secondary school.
The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, confirms that no slogan or protocol has been dictated to the education network in the context of the war between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas.
Without commenting on the case of Cité-des-Jeunes, he specifies that our schools are increasingly multi-ethnic environments, students from all kinds of origins, students who have diverse origins, and then, we must learn to live together […] I think we need to learn to respect ourselves and express our beliefs, but in a way that respects others. And I think that in the vast majority of cases, it goes well.
