Minister suspends licences of 11 teachers at Montreal's Bedford school after allegations of mistreatment

Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.

Quebec Premier François Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was "shocked" by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as "Islamist" beliefs.

Legault appointed Education Minister Bernard Drainville and Jean-François Roberge, the minister responsible for secularism, to come up with solutions to prevent religion from creeping into classrooms following a government report into Montreal's Bedford school.

"There is something very disturbing in this case. It is this attempt by a group of teachers to introduce Islamist religious concepts into a public school," Legault wrote on social media. "In Quebec, we decided a long time ago to remove religion from public schools. We will never accept going back."

The Centre de services scolaire de Montréal — Quebec's largest school service centre — said Saturday that 11 teachers were suspended with pay after a government investigation found that a "dominant clan" at Bedford school imposed strict, autocratic rule over students.

The investigation revealed that the teachers — many of whom were of North African descent — were allegedly influenced by the local mosque and subjected children to physical and psychological violence. They either refused to teach — or paid little attention to — the science and sex education curriculum.

The evidence gathered suggested some teachers didn't believe in learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders and refused to let specialists in the classroom, believing instead that discipline — with the idea of "breaking" the student — would put them on the "right path."