A group of high school students from a francophone school in Port Coquitlam held a protest Thursday alleging a climate of bullying and harassment at their school.
However, School District 93 superintendent Bertrand Dupain, responsible for Ecole des Pionnier de Maillardville, said student concerns are being investigated and issues that are found, if any, will be dealt with over the summer and in the new school year.
“We are going to make a full investigation and we are going to take measures. If there is any disfunction it is not something we are going to accept,” said Dupain, whose Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique is a public school board responsible for all French schools in B.C.
On Thursday morning, about a dozen students from grades 10 to 12 turned out with signs calling for equality for female students.
They called on the administration to take action against alleged bullying and harassment behaviour by other male students because they don’t feel safe.
Sophie Arsenault, who coordinated the initiative, told the media that she was concerned that a misogynistic mentality was being “normalized” at the school.
Among the complaints are that some male students are creating a “hostile environment,” with comments about rape and some female students are feeling stress, a loss of confidence and are abandoning their courses.
“We ask that next year be different,” said Arsenault, who is finishing her Grade 11 year.
Fellow student Olivia Brunet said the administration has mishandled the situation by trivializing complaints and not disciplining students who take part in the harassing action.
Meanwhile, the superintendent said he could not confirm the allegations of bullying or harassment but noted the students’ complaints are being taken seriously.
