Quebec government unveils measures to address ‘toxic climate’ at Montreal school

Corrective measures are underway to address a “toxic climate” of fear and intimidation at a French-language Montreal primary school.

Quebec’s Education Department has appointed two monitors who started working Tuesday at Bedford school in the city’s multicultural Côte-des-Neiges district, who have to report back by Nov. 30.

The province’s measures follow a report made public last week concluding there was a “dominant clan” of teachers who imposed a very strict, autocratic rule over students.

The government’s report said children were subjected to physical and psychological violence, and that teachers refused to teach or paid little attention to subjects such as oral communication, science, religion and sex education.

Quebec launched its investigation after a half-dozen radio reports by 98.5 FM into the problematic climate at the school.

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Eleven teachers who allegedly engaged in concerning behaviour will be investigated to determine if they committed serious misconduct and whether or not their teaching certificates should be suspended or revoked.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville has ordered audits at three other schools — two elementary schools and a high school — under the governance of the same service centre as Bedford, and allegedly with similar problems.