A father who lost his temper will have provoked the debate of the week. What to do with bullying among young people, especially at school? The discussion is emotional and many parents and young people have a story to tell. The scale of the reactions demonstrates that the problem of bullying is still present.
If bullying was the theme of the week, a phrase of the week also emerged: “The school does nothing!”. When our journalist colleagues went to meet students, several had examples of bullying to describe. Almost all of them had contacted the authorities and concluded thus: “The school does nothing.”
- Listen to the Maréchal-Dumont meeting with Isabelle Maréchal via QUB :
Same thing when parents chose to tell the experiences of their young people. Emotional parents expressed their frustration, disgusted by stories that lasted months, which demotivated their child to go to school. Almost all of these testimonies ended with a sigh of annoyance: “The school does nothing.”
I am almost certain that the authorities of this school in Berthierville must find this judgment very unfair. They undoubtedly feel like they have acted. However, this is a big failure. I am stunned by the concert of similar reactions which point the finger at their dramatic inaction.
Plans, plans…
However, the subject of bullying and violence at school has been one of the most discussed in Quebec in the last twenty years. We made plans, action plans, campaigns, strategies and policies. Schools and school service centers were required to develop action plans at the local level.
Since 2012, Quebec has adopted the Act to prevent and combat bullying and violence at school. Law adopted unanimously!!!
Screenshot, TVA News
Under the Act, each governing board must adopt a plan to combat bullying and violence.
Since 2021, Quebec has had a Concerted Action Plan to prevent and counter bullying and cyberbullying.
Talk and paper, but… How can we explain that in 2024, with so many great plans in the binders, we are so unproactive in a secondary school?
Nerve!
The time has undoubtedly come to move away from nice and empty bureaucratic language. We must act, sanction, involve the police if necessary. We must reestablish the notion of authority which was withdrawn in the ideological delirium of the reform of the 2000s. Yes, there are people in authority in a school who have the right and the duty to enforce the rules.
We will also have to start seriously questioning the parents of the bullies. If they become allies, that will help. Otherwise, we may have to take a strong approach to make them responsible. In France, the Minister of Families even suggests imposing community work on defaulting parents…