School boards in the Outaouais region have issued notices to parents that if they decide to keep their kids at home today because of the heat, they would not officially count the absences and penalize the student. Some Montreal school boards though don't plan on following suit.
School boards such as the Commission Scolaire des Draveurs and Coeur-des-Vallées say they kept the schools open after consulting with public health officials but are leaving the decision up to parents whether to keep them at home.
The Western Quebec School Board said if parents want to keep their children at home due to the heat, they still have to contact the school.
"What we recommend in our schools is to not record absences for these days so there's no consequences for kids staying home," said communications consultant for the Western Quebec School Board, François Raymond.
"We really wanted parents to be comfortable with their kids out of school and this is why we did it. But just to be clear, our schools are still open and classes are being held."
Social media posts from some Montreal-area parents said they're keeping their kids at home because it's so hot.
School boards such as the English Montreal School Board, Lester B. Pearson School Board and Sir Wilfred Laurier School Board say it's not a policy they're looking at for now because it's an exceptional heat wave in September.
The union representing teachers and support staff at the Marie-Victorin, des Patriotes and Vallée-des-Tisserands School Boards - the Syndicat de Champlain - says the option of closing schools on such hot days should be included in collective agreements. Right now, such closures are reserved for severe weather situation such as snowstorms.