Mess at Saint-Laurent school | “This school should be supervised”

There are no lockers, the cafeteria was closed last week, the youth missed school hours because the teachers were not given a proper timetable, as were the students.

Louis Leduc
Press

According to one teacher, “it’s a mess” at Saint-Laurent High School, a Montreal institution already roiled by allegations of sexual abuse against the manager and two basketball coaches since February.

“This school should be under guardianship for six months”, sums up a confident staff member Press.

Due to erratic schedules, there were more than 50 young people in a room designed to accommodate 25 students. The “extra” youngsters sometimes stood at the back of the class before being moved to other rooms. Supervisors were also called for reinforcements due to the absence of teachers who did not have proper schedules or refused to work under such conditions.

No cafeteria

As the cafeteria was not open last week – news relayed at the last minute – employees went to supermarkets to buy food for students who would normally have free meals due to their parents’ deprivation. And that’s not counting students who walk around with bags containing their books, lunch and clothes for physical education — which is usually prohibited for security reasons — because they have no record.

“Many members challenged us,” explains David Hamel, interim president of the West Montreal Teachers Union.

From 3^e In secondary, David Hamel continues, teachers usually have no more than 32 students at a time. Last week, he confirmed that due to chaos, groups sometimes exceed 50 students.

Refusal to teach is not a suggestion, but the union advises teachers to quickly raise the issue with their managers as soon as such ratios are crossed.

Director’s right hand exit

According to various interviewees, this confusion mainly stems from the hasty departure of Daniel Lacasse, who is not the only one. train box Basketball team. The man accused of sexual harassment (like two other coaches) handled the students’ and teachers’ short weekly schedules, the cafeteria, everyone’s chores, etc. He is actually the principal’s right-hand man and the school’s administrative honcho.

Annick Lartigou, President of the Saint-Laurent School Governing Board, explained that the absence of Daniel Lacasse, who is the heart of all school management, will be felt from a strict point of view. She notes that when things are going well someone has a lot of control over the school, but when they’re gone and there’s no transfer of knowledge, it’s more complicated.

Mr. Lacasse finds himself in court, with the schedules of students and teachers handed over to computer programmers, Mr.^me Lartigou knew. “Computer programming has its limitations” and it appears that programmers don’t have all the nuances of a school (which, among other things, is split into two buildings that calls for teachers to move).

Many errors were identified and the management was given schedules at the last minute without time to correct them.

No interview was possible with the Marguerite-Borgeoys School Service Center (CSSMB) or with the management of the Saint-Laurent school. The reply came via email.

Media service “Returning to secondary school is a complex operation that requires multiple adjustments. At Saint-Laurent High School, as in other large schools, an adaptation period is required, especially in terms of staff members’ schedules,” reads an email sent by Christine Loriaux, director of communications from CSSMB.

CSSMB adds that 80 new students have enrolled of late and the school is welcoming another 130 students this year.

On the website of the governing board of the Saint-Laurent school, we could not find the names of the people who set it up and no minutes were published there since Monday, May 2021. Its president Mr.^me Lartigou ensures that everything is done on time and in full compliance with the laws, but the Marguerite-Borgios school service center also has computer problems on this side.

The school service center said on Tuesday afternoon that “a signature is required on these documents before they can be placed online” and that this will be done soon.

With Alice Girard-Basse, Press