Toxic climate, interference in the content taught to students and behavior putting the safety of children at risk: after the religious excesses at the Bedford school, the Ministry of Education is launching an investigation into three other schools in Montreal.
The Journal has learned that the Saint-Pascal-Baylon and Bienville primary schools as well as the La Voie secondary school will be the subject of a formal investigation by the government in connection in particular with interference of a religious nature.
Educational advisors, psychoeducators and psychologists will be deployed from Wednesday and for the duration of the investigations in the three schools of the Montreal School Service Center (CSSDM), located in the Côte-des-Neiges district.
Audits were carried out in these schools following the Bedford report. The reported facts push Minister Bernard Drainville to take things to the next level.
No sexuality education
According to our information, the compulsory educational program was not respected, particularly with regard to the teaching of sexuality education. Pressure from parents sitting on governing boards would be to blame.
The Press revealed in November that the president of the governing board of the La Voie school, Said Soali, also heads the board of directors of the Darlington community center, a religious organization which teaches, in particular, the principles of the Koran to Muslim children from corner.
Students with special needs would also have been deprived of specialized services due to a more traditional vision of education. Ways of doing things and behaviors that are similar to those listed at the Bedford school.
Secularism in schools
Remember that a devastating report unveiled in October shed light on a clan of teachers, mainly of North African origin, having imposed a climate of terror in this Montreal school.
The eleven teachers are currently the subject of an investigation and have seen their teaching certificate suspended pending investigations.
Since then, following denunciations from the public and staff of the education network, 17 schools across Quebec have been subject to audits for breaches of the Law on State Secularism. The three schools targeted by investigations are also part of this list. The report is expected in January.
The Legault government subsequently announced its firm intention to strengthen religious neutrality in educational establishments. The Prime Minister has mandated Ministers Bernard Drainville and Jean-François Roberge in this regard.
François Legault is now considering banning prayers in public spaces and has not ruled out using the notwithstanding clause, which allows Quebec to evade the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to achieve this.
New schools targeted by Department of Education investigation:
- Saint-Pascal-Baylon primary school
- Bienville Elementary School
- La Voie Secondary School
Do you have any information to share with us about this story?
Write to us at or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.
