What a relief to hear the Minister of Education say that the idea of having armed security guards around schools is not a good idea.
• Read also: Attacks on Jewish schools: Drainville opposes the presence of armed security agents
Let us be clear, the distress, fear and apprehension of the Jewish community regarding the safety of schools are legitimate. We have all seen, with broken hearts, schools being targeted recently. It’s absolutely abominable. Moreover, fighting these crimes and these criminals should be a top priority.
OUR schools
Because, it must be remembered, before being Jewish schools, they are Quebec schools. These are our schools and we all have a duty to protect them and preserve their sanctity. And in this sense, whether there is a rise in anti-Semitism or not (without obviously in any way diminishing this growing phenomenon), it is all the forces of state repression and prevention that must be put into action each time a school, whatever the faith of those who frequent it, is threatened.
Government responsibility
Both from a logical and symbolic point of view, it is important, in these times when certain cultural and religious communities are threatened, not to outsource the protection of our fellow citizens and our institutions to the private sector. . It is up to the State to ensure the protection of all its citizens and to take the necessary and exceptional measures if necessary, to ensure that this is done.
Beyond this question, it is important not to fall into this oh-so-American reflex which consists of the call for more weapons to fight weapons. The school, let us remember, is a sanctuary and should remain so. This reflex, which we normally deplore, is always the right one. Let us try to remember this.