As I write these words, Prime Minister, a holiday wind is blowing in the air. A sky heavy with clouds announces the coming of the rain. It is as if somewhere, Quebec implored us for a moment of reflection.
Our children are on summer vacation. Relieved and excited about the end of the school year. They have only two months to forget all the weaknesses from which the school system has suffered for several weeks, even several months, even several years.
Our teachers, on the other hand, juggle the judgment of all those who believe that their complaints are not justified because of their summer of “paid leave”. They wonder how many weeks they will need to recover from the school year that has just ended, undermined by all the weaknesses from which the school system has suffered for several weeks, even several months, even several years.
Within your government, everything is on hold. Putting off all the priority files until September probably allows you to think about the strategies to adopt for the next few weeks, even the next few months, or even the next few years.
Mr. Prime Minister, it is a worried mother who writes these words to you. A mom who saw the last school year as one drop too many in an overfull glass and yet notices that no one really talks about it. I have not heard of the repeated absences, the lack of motivation of teachers, school staff and students, newly hired teachers who give half-year subjects in a more than accelerated formula in order to remedy delays, the insistence of schools at the end of the school year that children be present in class when exams are over and their motivation has been worn down during the 180 school days, and so on!
What I see is that the schools, the children and the parents do not feel listened to.
Like nothing ever happened
But we continue to move forward year after year as if nothing had happened. We close the gap. We try to move the boat forward by plugging the holes as they appear. When we reach dry land, we recover from the journey. We start the same circus a few months later with the promise to do better.
Everyone has their part of the job to do. But it is becoming urgent to change things in our education system. I am addressing you since you are the person who has the power to trigger public reflection on the subject. You are also the one who can send the strong message that we must initiate a 180 degree turn for the good of our young people, our schools and our society.
To you, dear readers, if you are parents, or any other adult with a child from near or far; be concerned by the situation and claim your desire for change!
Let’s share this text on social networks by adding a word of support to our young people. Add to that our dearest wish for the Quebec education system. Let us listen to our young people, who are the future. We are already bequeathing them a dying planet, let them know that their education is essential to us. That their desire to learn is a priority for everyone! That their personal development is necessary for the future!
Let’s make the 2023 summer season the one where the school will be at the heart of our discussions and our collective actions. Let’s make the education of our young people our social project.
Harmonium sang “we gave birth to someone, maybe we should listen to them”, but no one does.
Let’s act! Let’s not wait several more weeks, even several months, even several years.