Bedford Elementary teachers lose licences after investigation into ‘climate of fear and intimidation’

Bedford Elementary School is shown in Montreal, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi)

Eleven teachers at Bedford Elementary in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood have lost their licences after an investigation into a “climate of fear and intimidation” at the school.

• READ MORE: ‘Climate of fear and intimidation’ at Montreal elementary school, government probe finds

Quebec’s Education Ministry confirmed the news on Tuesday, citing “findings revealed in the investigative committee’s report.”

The ministry refused to comment further as the decisions are currently under appeal.

This comes after Quebec’s Education Ministry said in October 2024 that it would bring “unprecedented measures” in response to allegations of pushing, yelling, bullying, as well as the physical and psychological abuse of students at Bedford Elementary.

Then-education minister Bernard Drainville had warned that if the teachers’ actions posed a risk to the students’ safety, their credentials would be withdrawn.

• READ MORE: Bedford school saga: Drainville looking into another Montreal school after complaints

“Refusing to recognize that autism exists, refusing to teach sexual education or science, having a student lose consciousness and instead of helping, you start praying?” he said at the time. “This [is a] whole environment, where adults, who are supposed to take care of our kids, are taking care of themselves before taking care of our kids.”

The misconduct also reignited the province’s debate on secularism, particularly in an educational context, with Bill 94, An Act to strengthen school secularism, passing into law in 2025.

The law stipulates that students must attend school with their faces uncovered, as must most staff.

The use of French at school is also mandatory when staff communicate with students or when colleagues speak to one another.

Long-term support

The government report employs the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) to maintain long-term monitoring and support “to truly change the school’s management culture.”

“If the administration does not oversee planning or pay attention to classroom practices, how can it ensure the quality of educational services?” it asks. “Without rigorous pedagogical management practices, the situation regarding non-compliance with the curriculum is likely to recur both at Bedford School and in other institutions.”

It additionally recommends that teachers be evaluated every two years, and a better framework be established for management, curriculum oversight and solving issues of harassment and violence.

• READ MORE: Bedford school scandal: action plan doubles down on secularism, French

The report goes on to state that changes already made at the school have led to clear differences in the children’s behaviour.

“We were told that: ‘The children are smiling now, they’re having fun, they love their school,’” it notes. “Isn’t that precisely what we want for our children when they walk through the doors of a school? Isn’t this a fundamental mindset for learning?”

The Bedford Elementary scandal, where a “dominant” clique of teachers “of North African descent,” according to the report, intimidated students and other staff, led the government to initially suspend their licences and audit another 17 schools.