The dignity of several athletes was “compromised” during their time at Saint-Laurent high school. This is the conclusion of a government investigation initiated five months ago, after three basketball coaches at the establishment were accused of sex crimes.
Posted at 12:58 p.m.
“The investigation made it possible to identify major shortcomings in terms of supervision and controls related to the basketball program at Saint-Laurent school. In light of the information gathered, the dignity of several athletes was compromised during their time at Saint-Laurent school,” the Ministry of Education indicated in its investigation report released on Tuesday.
Three coaches from Saint-Laurent high school were charged with sex crimes on February 3. The Press had also reported that a “super harmful” climate, marked by verbal aggression and intimidation, reigned within the women’s basketball program.
Quebec, which had launched an administrative investigation in the following days, believes that a “particularly low level of organizational trust was also observed in this school”.
Well known in the world of school sports, Daniel Lacasse, head of the Saint-Laurent school basketball program, is accused of sexual exploitation. The other two coaches, Robert Luu and Charles-Xavier Boislard, face charges of sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and sexual assault. Mr. Boislard was also charged with sexual exploitation.
Several recommendations
The Ministry of Education took advantage of this outing on Tuesday to make a series of recommendations to the Center de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys (CSSMB), including “improving controls on sports programs” at school. Saint Laurent. Quebec also suggests “mandating an independent external firm to carry out an intervention on the climate and incivility” in this establishment, which had been done, but abandoned at the end of February by the CSSMB.
It is also recommended that the school service center carry out – through an independent accounting firm – a financial audit of sports programs, and then “mandatory” training on bystander intervention in schools, raising awareness of those this to the “spectator effect”.
Finally, Quebec proposes to equip service centers and sports federations to “change the culture of sports programs”, by aiming to prioritize first “respect for the dignity of athletes”. Despite everything, the authorities warn that it will be necessary “to ensure the maintenance of the development of sporting excellence” at the Saint-Laurent school, recognized for the quality of its training program offered to female basketball players.
The government assures that it “undertakes to follow up on the recommendations and to monitor their application in the network”. We note that the investigation was carried out “in conjunction” with another investigation which had been launched more specifically on the “how” in which Basketball Quebec handled the situation at Saint-Laurent secondary school. New doubts have indeed been raised about the “erroneous and unhealthy” values put forward by the sports federation in recent years.
“We will spare no effort”
For its part, the Center de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys ensures that it will ensure the implementation of the recommendations. “The administration of the school’s women’s basketball program being targeted by the findings, we will spare no effort to ensure that it meets expectations and reflects the values of respect and dignity that we defend,” they said. said in a statement.
The Service Center maintains that it has the confidence of the management team at École Saint-Laurent to implement the appropriate changes.
In the meantime, anyone who has been a victim or witness of acts of a sexual nature at Saint-Laurent school is invited to contact the investigators of the Sexual Assault Section of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). , at 514-280-8502, or go to a local police station. To transmit information anonymously, the Info-Crime Montreal center can also be reached at 514-393-1133. A reporting form can also be completed via its website.