Classes at École secondaire de Chambly, on Montreal’s South Shore, have been suspended for the day on Wednesday following a rowdy student demonstration, according to the Centre des services scolaires des Patriotes (CSSP).
The protest comes as some students may be forced to relocate to another high school in Saint-Bruno.
“Unfortunately, there was some breakage,” Étienne Dubé, a parent of four students who attends the school, told CTV News. “Directing teenagers and locking them in the gymnasium when the demonstration, according to our observations, was peaceful outside the school. Everything seems to have degenerated in the gymnasium, according to what the young people are saying and the videos on social networks.”
He notes the situation could have been avoided if the CSSP had “shown leadership” on the issue of relocation.
“The students wanted to be heard, but it escalated in a way that no one wanted,” said Dubé. “The lack of communication from the school board has only made things worse.
Frustration among parents
Several media reports and a group of parents online state the demonstration was held in the school’s cafeteria at 12 p.m. on Tuesday.
“Rest assured that we, the parents, will continue the fight through the appropriate channels,” a parents group wrote on Facebook following the protest. “We will continue to pressure the CSSP for adequate solutions, while our children continue their education in a stable environment.”
The group called for calm after the situation apparently got out of hand, and police officers were called to the scene to intervene.
“We understand the frustration with the CSSP’s decisions,” note the parents on Facebook. “However, it is clear that the current protests and disruptions are directly damaging our children’s education. Our students should not have to pay the price for bad administrative decisions. Every day of disruption is a day of lost learning.”
Police intervention at the school
Videos posted online, presumably taken during the aftermath of the protest, show students running through hallways and shouting.
Sergeant Jean-Luc Tremblay of the Régie intermunicipale de police de Richelieu-Saint-Laurent estimates that as many as 300 students participated in the protest.
“Some students threw items, including food,” Tremblay said. “But aside from that, we didn’t observe any property being broken.”
Police deployed ten officers to the scene. Tremblay said one minor was arrested for uttering threats against the school, but he clarified that the threat was not aimed at any individual.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Tremblay said. “The minor was released, and our findings will be handed over to the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales [de la jeunesse] for further review.”
School officials condemn the escalation
Ensuing threats that were reportedly made prompted the school to close its doors for the day.
In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the CSSP said no one was injured during the protest.
“Classes were suspended [on Wednesday] to ensure the safety of students and staff,” reads the email.
An email sent to parents on Tuesday evening, signed by the school principal and the head of the school service centre, made it clear that such actions would not be tolerated.
“Violence, intimidation and vandalism can never be accepted,” the email stated. “Absolutely nothing justifies such actions.”
The administration emphasized that students do have the right to voice their opinions.
“But they must express their concerns in a way that is respectful to their environment, their peers and school staff,” it notes.
Uncertainty ahead for the high school
Dubé says he believes the protest is about more than students possibly having to relocate.
“Families feel left in the dark, and students are worried about their future,” said the father.
The proposed student relocations stem from a space shortage.
The former school building remains vacant due to non-compliance with building codes after past expansion efforts.
While the school board is seeking an exemption to reopen it, there are currently no guarantees.
Dubé argues that the current solutions being considered do not adequately address the problem.
“They’re going to break important bonds and friendships,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s going to affect the education of our kids.”
As of now, no final decision has been made on student relocations.
