Canada- 11 teachers suspended over allegations of ‘toxic’ climate at Montreal primary school, Oct; '24

[dotr]

CSSDM suspends 11 teachers at Bedford school in connection with toxic climate CityNews Montreal Uncategorized |

Eleven teachers at Bedford Elementary School have been suspended at the request of Montreal’s Director General of the school services center (CSSDM), who made the announcement Saturday evening in a press release. Isabelle Gélinas asked the school’s administration to immediately suspend the...

montreal.citynews.ca

rbbm
''According to the Ministry of Education report, investigators found that a climate of fear and intimidation had been created by what they called a “ruling group” of teachers. According to the document, this group has imposed a veritable autocratic reign of terror on the school.
Children are subjected to physical and psychological violence, including shouting and humiliation, such as being sent to the wall or corridor, some for very long periods.''

11 teachers suspended over allegations of ‘toxic’ climate at Montreal primary school

Quebec government appointed monitors to address the climate of fear and intimidation it said had taken root at the French-language school

nationalpost.com

''Quebec’s largest school service centre is suspending 11 teachers at a Montreal elementary school after a government investigation found they fostered a “toxic” environment.
In a move it described as unprecedented, the Centre de services scolaires de Montreal says its director general asked administrators to immediately suspend the teachers at Bedford school in the city’s multicultural Cote-des-Neiges district.''

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bedford-elementary-school-teachers-suspensions-cssdm-1.7357530

''According to that report from the Education Ministry, those 11 teachers have spent years working as a "dominant clan" and spreading fear within the school while intimidating students and staff.

The report mentions that these teachers punished students with learning disabilities simply because they didn't recognize those disabilities as legitimate. They're also alleged to have prevented support staff from entering classrooms and worked together to undermine school management decisions.''

 

[dotr]

rbbm

CSSDM suspends 11 teachers at Bedford school over 'toxic' climate

“Support staff are hard at work on a game plan to re-establish a healthy and safe climate at Bedford school," Education Minister Bernard Drainville says.

montrealgazette.com

''It found children at the school were subjected to physical and psychological violence, and teachers refused to teach or paid little attention to subjects such as oral communication, science, religion and sex education.
It also noted some teachers believed learning difficulties and autism didn’t exist and that excessive discipline and control would work to “break” some students and get them “back on the right path.”

Eleven teachers suspended over allegations of ‘toxic’ climate at Montreal primary school

In a move it described as unprecedented, the Centre de services scolaires de Montréal says its director general asked administrators to immediately suspend the teachers at Bedford school

www.theglobeandmail.com

''The testimonies provided a portrait of the situation spanning about seven or eight years, and revealed that a quick succession of school directors came and went during that period. The vast majority of students at the school did not speak Quebec’s official language as their first language; only about 20 per cent spoke French at home.

The report described the group of problematic teachers as being of North African descent, some of whom attended a local mosque together. ''

 

[tlcya]

The report mentions that these teachers punished students with learning disabilities simply because they didn't recognize those disabilities as legitimate. They're also alleged to have prevented support staff from entering classrooms and worked together to undermine school management decisions.
[snip]
Three other schools with the CSSDM are being monitored by the provincial ministry for issues also related to a potentially toxic climate.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mont...y-school-teachers-suspensions-cssdm-1.7357530

In a move it described as unprecedented, the Centre de services scolaires de Montréal says its director general asked administrators to immediately suspend the teachers at Bedford school in the city's multicultural Côte-des-Neiges district.
11 teachers suspended over allegations of 'toxic' climate at Montreal primary school

 

[PrairieWind]

As a parent of an autistic child, this just makes me sick.

 

[dotr]

'11 teachers all at once?': Parents shocked by suspensions at Montreal school

Several Muslim parents with children at Bedford school said they fear the suspensions will fuel political discourse.

montrealgazette.com

Jesse Feith • Montreal Gazette Published Oct 21, 2024
'Witnesses also told the government investigators that the local Muslim community carried a “strong influence” on several of the school’s staff members.'

''St-Pierre Plamondon said the situation illustrates how the absence of a mix of students in Montreal’s schools has led to a few cultural or religious communities assuming a majority position.
“The danger isn’t only in Quebec,” he told reporters. “You can see this all over the western world.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/teachers-union-montreal-bedford-elementary-school-1.7358182

'The teachers' union linked to Bedford elementary school in Montreal — where 11 teachers were suspended for allegedly fostering a toxic working environment — says it isn't to blame for persisting psychological and physical harm against students at the school. '
Since the Education Ministry's investigative report was published on Oct. 11, the ministry assigned two provincial government employees to the school to monitor the situation and draft an action plan by the end of November.''

''Drainville has said he believes teachers did not alert the ministry to the incidents because they feared reprisal. In an interview with Radio-Canada's Tout le monde en parle on Sunday, he faulted the union for allegedly knowing what was happening at the school and not defending teachers who were against the "dominant clan."

https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/adm/min/education/publications-adm/rapport-reflexion-consultation/Rapport-enquete-Bedford.pdf

 

[anneoakley63]

I would have no hesitation about going to jail if this happened where my child attends school. This is absolutely disgusting behavior. I hope they lose their teaching license forever!

 

[Baciagalupo]

Well, nobody talking about the white elephant in the room.

 

[Panniniclaus]

There is an elephant... not sure what color it is.

 

[dotr]

October 24, 2024 rbbm

How a Montreal school reignited a debate over secularism and Bill 21 in Quebec

An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec’s education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

www.cp24.com

''Quebec's education minister says the province's secularism law, known as Bill 21, was not being respected at the school and could be strengthened. His comments follow a report released earlier this month that found a group of teachers at Bedford school, many of North African descent, subjected children to physical and psychological violence.''

'The report found that teachers yelled at and humiliated students, and that some teachers didn't believe in learning disabilities and attributed students' difficulties to laziness. Subjects like science and sex education were either ignored or barely taught, and girls were prevented from playing soccer.'
''Investigations are underway at three other Montreal schools.''

 

[PrairieWind]

It doesn't seem that they need to strengthen laws, they just need to enforce the ones that they already have.

 

[HMSHood]

I suspect teachers bullying students is more common than we think. This goes beyond bullying.

 

[airportwoman]

rbbm

CSSDM suspends 11 teachers at Bedford school over 'toxic' climate

“Support staff are hard at work on a game plan to re-establish a healthy and safe climate at Bedford school," Education Minister Bernard Drainville says.

montrealgazette.com

''It found children at the school were subjected to physical and psychological violence, and teachers refused to teach or paid little attention to subjects such as oral communication, science, religion and sex education.
It also noted some teachers believed learning difficulties and autism didn’t exist and that excessive discipline and control would work to “break” some students and get them “back on the right path.”

Eleven teachers suspended over allegations of ‘toxic’ climate at Montreal primary school

In a move it described as unprecedented, the Centre de services scolaires de Montréal says its director general asked administrators to immediately suspend the teachers at Bedford school

www.theglobeandmail.com

''The testimonies provided a portrait of the situation spanning about seven or eight years, and revealed that a quick succession of school directors came and went during that period. The vast majority of students at the school did not speak Quebec’s official language as their first language; only about 20 per cent spoke French at home.

The report described the group of problematic teachers as being of North African descent, some of whom attended a local mosque together. ''

I could see teachers doing this TO foreign-born kids who don't speak the local language, whose parents aren't familiar with local customs, but this being done BY them? Wow.

 

[LoveyG]

What kind of education would these teachers have been required to have?

 

[Cedars]

October 24, 2024 rbbm

How a Montreal school reignited a debate over secularism and Bill 21 in Quebec

An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec’s education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

www.cp24.com

''Quebec's education minister says the province's secularism law, known as Bill 21, was not being respected at the school and could be strengthened. His comments follow a report released earlier this month that found a group of teachers at Bedford school, many of North African descent, subjected children to physical and psychological violence.''

North African descent, I believe, refers to immigrants from Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, known as Maghrebi. There has been a very large wave of immigration from this region to Quebec. Maghrebi Immigration to Montréal

The Quebec premiere is not a very diplomatic, sensitive person:

"On Tuesday, Quebec Premier François Legault took to X to denounce the situation, describing the suspended teachers as a group attempting "to introduce Islamic religious concepts in a public school."

There follows protests and accusations, etc.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bedford-elementary-school-secularism-teachers-suspended-1.7359316

 

[musicaljoke]

What kind of education would these teachers have been required to have?

...a person trained in general education teaching outside Canada who
(a) holds a bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree or an equivalent diploma including at least 45 credits in the field of training and 21 credits in educational psychology training;
(b) holds a bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree or an equivalent diploma including at least 45 credits in the field of training and 9 credits in educational psychology training and proves relevant teaching experience of at least 1 year; or
(c) holds a university diploma in general education teaching or an equivalent diploma including at least 60 credits, 30 credits of which are in educational psychology training including one or more practicums.

Légis Québec

www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca

 

[Springrain]

I partly grew up in Montreal. Lived there for 5 years as a kid, attended a very elite, bilingual private girl's school during that time (upper elementary - middle school; it was a K-11 school) that was one of the top in the country. It was very, very toxic. I'll have to read up on this.

Now as an adult, I'm a public high school teacher in a large public high school in a small town in Washington (I've lived in WA most of my life). So I've definitely had some interesting educational experiences both as a student and as a teacher.

 

[LoveyG]

...a person trained in general education teaching outside Canada who
(a) holds a bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree or an equivalent diploma including at least 45 credits in the field of training and 21 credits in educational psychology training;
(b) holds a bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree or an equivalent diploma including at least 45 credits in the field of training and 9 credits in educational psychology training and proves relevant teaching experience of at least 1 year; or
(c) holds a university diploma in general education teaching or an equivalent diploma including at least 60 credits, 30 credits of which are in educational psychology training including one or more practicums.

Légis Québec

www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca

Looking for clarification, you state "...a person trained in general education teaching outside Canada who". That says outside Canada. Did you mean inside Canada or does the info that followed not apply to Canada?

 

[dotr]

Oct 26, 2024

Robert Libman: Bedford school revelations reinforce how the CAQ doesn't understand Montreal

With so much diversity in they city's classrooms, ensuring secularism requires sensitivity, curriculum oversight and monitoring.

montrealgazette.com

''Shock waves reverberated in the halls of the National Assembly this week with news that a group of teachers at Bedford elementary school in the Côte-des-Neiges area was introducing Islamic religious concepts in the public institution. A recent government report highlighted allegations of a toxic environment at the French school, with certain religious practices being performed, science and sex education courses barely being taught, incidents including a teacher praying over a child lying on the floor of a classroom and young girls being told they weren’t allowed to play soccer because it was a sport “reserved for the boys.” Indignation was universal and the licences of 11 teachers were suspended.''

The Parti Québécois is doubling down on secularism after Montreal’s Bedford school controversy

The leader of the Parti Québécois believes that there is "religious infiltration" and "Islamist infiltration" in Quebec schools.

nationalpost.com

''Paul St-Pierre Plamondon believes that the government is failing Quebecers of all faiths and especially children in school by not sufficiently tightening the principles of secularism.
“The issue here is how to manage our schools to make room for all families who have very different perspectives on this subject. And the only solution is to not let religion enter our school system,” said St-Pierre Plamondon. “So I can’t help but talk about religion in the school system.”

 

[Cedars]

Looking for clarification, you state "...a person trained in general education teaching outside Canada who". That says outside Canada. Did you mean inside Canada or does the info that followed not apply to Canada?

I think the training is similar across Canada, it is a Bachelor of Education.

I think what is more important is, who decides about curriculum for any particular school or any particular teacher.

Curriculum guidelines are set at the level of the province, but IMO, the real power is at the level of the local School Board. Parents elect the members of the School Board. Then the school board directly runs each school, including hiring each school principal.

IMO, this story probably has a great deal to do with the local schoolboard.

ETA: If parents want to see something happening or not in the school, they will elect school board members who support that position (maybe not directly through campaign literature, but in a tight community, people will know what each candidate stands for).

JMO