Grade 1 teacher in Quebec suspended after recording of her shouting at students released

An elementary school in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, west of Montreal, has suspended a teacher and its principal until further notice after an audio recording of the teacher behaving aggressively toward her Grade 1 students was made public.

A parent allegedly hid a device in their child's backpack to record the Des Grands-Vents elementary school teacher's comments. The story was first reported by Quebecor Media. Following publication of the story Monday, the teacher was suspended.

In a letter to parents Wednesday, the school service centre, Centre de services scolaire des Mille-Îles (CSS Mille-Îles), said it is important to "quickly re-establish a climate of trust between parents and the school," for students to continue learning in a safe environment.

"Know that a new experienced teacher will take charge of the target group tomorrow," the letter reads. It says the new principal is also experienced.

"It's horrible," said Education Minister Bernard Drainville, on Tuesday, about the teacher's conduct. "It is very clearly inappropriate behaviour that calls into question the psychological safety of children."

The minister explained that the school service centre had launched its own investigation into the events, and there is an ongoing police investigation.

At a media briefing, Premier François Legault said he was happy that the teacher was suspended, "but now we have to get to the bottom of the story."

"It is completely unacceptable for children to be bullied like this," he said.

Drainville added that psychologists and psychoeducators have been made available to the children and their parents since Monday.

"It's not just the kids in the class in question. School children will be able to receive help," he said.

Multiple complaints filed

The Deux-Montagnes Police Department confirmed that two parents of students had filed two complaints Monday, for assault and intimidation. An investigator is expected to meet the children this week.

A school board meeting was planned for Tuesday evening at the Des Grands-Vents school, in the presence of parents and staff members. It was scheduled before the recording was made public.

"I said to myself, 'It can't be, it's impossible'... For the lady to shout loudly like that, it's impossible that no one heard this or talked about it to senior management," said the parent of a child attending the school group where the suspended person taught.

"I'm a little shocked. It's as though we wanted to hide it. But our children lived in this climate," the parent added.

'No one is proud of the situation' service centre director says

Nathalie Joannette, director general of the CSS Mille-Îles school service centre said she listened to the recording several times and "dissected it."

"Of course, no one is proud of the situation," she said. "I'm shocked. I'm saddened for the students."

Joannette said she was unaware the recording existed before it was released on Monday.

She said the school principal had received a message from a journalist last Wednesday, saying they had an excerpt of the audio. When the principal asked to hear it, they were refused, Joannette said.

The principal allegedly asked the teacher for clarification about the recording. At the time, no parent had yet approached the school about it.

Following an intervention by the administration, the teacher in question was allegedly absent for the rest of the week, Joannette said. Human resources had also intervened, she said, but without knowing the content of the recording.

She also acknowledged that even before the existence of the recording became known, the school administration had met with the teacher after parents raised concerns.

Joannette said channels exist to report problematic behaviour, but said that it may be necessary to assess whether there is sufficient trust in them.

"People need to have the courage to speak out, and people also need to be there to listen to them," she said.

Drainville, for his part, also said the "general" investigation into sexual misconduct in schools, launched a month ago, would apply to "the facts reported in this recording … but also to any inappropriate behaviour" it brings to light.

The minister has mandated officials to report any situation where behaviour could reasonably cause fear for the physical or psychological safety of students.