Two stories of sexual crimes splashed the Center de services scolaire de la Pointe-de-l’Île (CSSPI) last week. Disturbingly, the pinned teacher and special educator both admitted that the abuse lasted for many years, going so far as to openly manifest familiarities that should have put a flea in the ear. However, when we dig a little deeper into these two stories, we quickly see that everyone — even the student’s protector — claims to have seen nothing, heard nothing.
This apparent impunity that has lasted over time is troubling. As is the apparent apathy of the CSSPI’s student ombudsman in these now-judicial cases. Teacher Dominic Blanchette has pleaded guilty to molesting five girls and young teenagers over a five-year period. Actions were taken in two schools and a holiday camp. Special educator Véronie Campeau admitted to having sexually exploited a vulnerable student for years.
The CSSPI prides itself on having an alert system in addition to a code of ethics with a strong student protection mechanism. That cases like these escape him is regrettable, but not impossible, when we know how much doing the ordinary is extraordinary in this bloodless network. The Press, his student protector, Roberto Colavecchio, however claimed to have never “heard of a single case of sexual violence” in 12 years of practice. We repeat: none in 12 years.
For a file to reach his office, the complainant must go through three stages: contact the alleged abuser, then the school administration and, finally, that of the school service centre. The CSSPI has a duty to ask itself whether the formula may have discouraged speaking out, these and others. More slyly, he has to wonder if there isn’t a lot of minimization, denial and bad listening in our schools. In truth, all members of the school staff should be challenged by these two matters, teachers and directors in mind. And not just at Pointe-de-l’Île.
Similarly, Quebec has an urgent duty to get involved. Knowing how much hope the Legault government has placed in its National Student Ombudsman Act to prevent and combat sexual violence in primary and secondary schools, we are dizzy. Can that really be enough? Are the local and regional student protectors sufficiently equipped and, above all, do they know how to make the most of the tools made available to them?
The Youth Voices Count group, for its part, replies that it is not. Since 2017, he has been calling for a framework law inspired by that which exists in CEGEPs and universities. We do not see why such a tool is refused to minors, who form the most vulnerable fringe of all. It was already written last year in these pages.
It is clear that the issue of sexual violence in primary and secondary school is not advancing at the speed at which our digital lives are unfolding. We can still imagine the wandering hand in a corner of the hallway during school hours, but attacks can also take other paths to achieve the same ends: texting, instant messages and inappropriate materials, isolation tactics, etc. These methods catch up with students wherever they are, at any time of the day or night, multiplying the possibilities of deviations. This is the case in these two outrageous stories.
In its 2022 report, the Canadian Center for Child Protection (CCPE) notes that Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook are the platforms most often used in the offenses committed. Unfortunately, we don’t know the extent of the damage. The CCPE notes a resurgence of abuse of all kinds. It identified that 252 members or former members of primary and secondary school staff had committed or had been accused of having committed sexual offenses against at least 548 children between 2017 and 2021 inclusive. In addition, there are 38 other criminal defendants for child pornography offences.
But this is only the visible part. Not only is there no reliable database of such abuses, but they are not systematically collected. Nor is there a record of staff discharged or disciplined for such reasons. Schools may do background checks, but they miss out on this crucial information.
The issue of sexual violence is nowhere in Minister Bernard Drainville’s seven priorities. No more than just violence or intimidation, which are also exploding at school, we learned last month. Everyone in the National Assembly had then agreed that this issue should be addressed quickly in parliamentary committee, and this, in a non-partisan way. So much the better. However, the exercise will only be truly complete if it also encompasses sexual violence.