Northern Quebec elementary school says it's committed to doing better after racist incident
CBC
The principal of an elementary school in northern Quebec at the centre of an incident where students yelled threats and racial stereotypes at an Indigenous woman says the school is committed to addressing the issue head-on.
Mario Tessier is the principal of the Vatican II elementary school in Chibougamau, Que., a non-Indigenous town located in Eeyou Istchee, the traditional territory of the Quebec Cree Nation.
On Jan. 10, a group of 9- to 12-year-old students from Vatican II yelled racial stereotypes, insults and threats at Paula Menarick, a Cree woman who was photographing some of her beadwork near a small pond behind the school. She posted about what happened on social media.
"For me as principal, respect is a priority and also sensitization to different cultural communities," said Tessier, adding that his school is one of the most multicultural in the region and has several Indigenous students, including Cree students.
He said the school is taking the incident very seriously and has reached out to the parents of the students involved.
"The types of things they were yelling … it's possible to learn them in the schoolyard, but they are also learned at home or in the sports club or with friends," said Tessier, adding the school always tries to include the parents in the educational process.
Menarick said she was called a pig, asked if she was an alcoholic, and was threatened with being shot and sworn at for more than five minutes by the students, and has some of it on video.
Tessier said three main young people were responsible for yelling the insults at Menarick, and about 10 students were in the school yard at the time.
He met with the students involved the day after it happened. He also said the school has an anti-bullying counsellor who is working with the students.
"We asked the children to write letters of apology with the help of their parents," said Tessier. Those messages were delivered to Paula Menarick at a meeting at the school last Thursday, the first day she was available.
"I accepted their letters and apology," wrote Menarick on Facebook after the meeting, adding she was pleased that the principal was taking the matter seriously.
"I talked about the importance of educating our children on anti-bullying, anti-violence and anti-racism," wrote Menarick, adding that principal Tessier agreed.
"I am happy that [the principal] took this matter seriously."
Tessier offered an explanation for the incident. He said the young people were scared and believed a person was trying to light a fire behind the school, adding it was "altogether irrational" given the winter weather conditions.
