New plan for Montreal's Bedford Elementary School after report of teachers' toxic behaviour
Advisers recommend evaluation of teachers every 2 years, enforcing French on school grounds
Quebec has released a plan intended to improve teacher competency after reports of toxic behaviour at a Montreal elementary school.
The recommendations include making legislative changes that would increase oversight of the province's teachers and ensure the province's schools are secular.
Bedford Elementary School, in the city's Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood, was put under investigation last year after 11 teachers were suspended for alleged toxic behaviour, including intimidating students and staff.
The investigation resulted in a 90-page government report looking at the teachers' level of competence, the effects of their behaviour on students and staff and the role religion may have played in their behaviour and the tensions at the school.
Jean-Pierre Aubin and Malika Habel, two former directors in the education system, were appointed by the provincial government as independent advisers to look into the situation and come up with recommendations.
In a 12-page document released Friday, the advisers said the school must restore a healthy and safe learning environment, free of bullying and violence.
The advisers stressed the quality of education and services must be improved in schools and the Education Ministry should address issues around culture and religious beliefs with school staff.
The document includes a list of recommendations for Bedford in particular and other broader ones for schools across the province. Those broader recommendations include conducting a formal evaluation of teachers every two years, and taking steps to make sure teachers avoid any form of violence or harassment.
In the government report last year, investigators found that verbally violent behaviour, such as shouting at students, was reported to the school administration. A teacher was also reported to management in 2020 for closing a classroom door while a student's fingers were on the door frame, according to the report. Someone intervened just in time to protect the child.
Witnesses quoted in the same report also said some teachers at Bedford denied that autism and learning disabilities exist.
Changes to law?
The document released Friday also recommends evaluating changes to legislation that would prohibit "any religious demonstration or activity in the school, whether during or after school hours," as well as require French to be spoken by teachers on school grounds.
Education Minister Bernard Drainville said in a statement that he welcomes the proposals.
"The priority is the well-being of our students, and we'll be evaluating all options to achieve this," he said.
Drainville has already said he would look at revising the province's secularism laws.
Isabelle Gélinas, the head of the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, which oversees the school, also welcomed the plan.
But she said some of the recommendations are in line with measures already in progress in the service centre's schools.
Kiléka Coulibaly, president of the parents' committee of the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, was also in favour of the action plan and said offering training about the role of school boards would be beneficial for parents who want to become more involved at their child's school but who aren't familiar with existing structures.
She noted it would be important to ensure parents whose first language isn't French also understand how their child's school functions.
Union says follow existing rules first
Teachers' unions, meanwhile, voiced concerns. The Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), a major Quebec union representing some teachers in the province, questioned whether some of the recommended legislative changes are needed.
"School principals already have all the necessary levers to ensure teacher supervision and evaluation. However, if this evaluation is not carried out as it should be, it is due to a lack of time and resources in the schools," the union said in a statement.
Aubin and Habel's mandate continues until Sept. 30.
The 11 teachers at Bedford remain suspended by the school board and are under investigation.
With files from Gloria Henriquez