Dozens of Westmount High teachers marked the occasion of Francois Legault’s swearing in as Premier, by demonstrating against the CAQ’s proposed religious neutrality policy.
“We need good teachers,” said Dr. Sabrina Jafralie, an ethics and religion teacher at Westmount High. “Good teachers come in all different forms.”
During the campaign, Legault promised to ban the wearing of overt religious symbols for all public sector workers. He has since walked back his promise, indicating that he might be open to adopting a grandfather clause for teachers.
“Many of the teachers at Westmount High, we feel that is equally unacceptable,” said Robert Green, a Social Studies and Philosophy teacher. “It shifts the target from our colleagues to our students.”
Classrooms at Westmount High are extremely divers, according to teachers protesting Thursday morning. Many of the students wear head scarfs and kippahs to school.
“(This policy) tells them they should not dream of becoming a judge, or a police officer, or a teacher, we find that absolutely unacceptable,” Green said. “It is literally rendering our students second class citizens, and we will not tolerate that.”
“Children need to see themselves represented in the classroom, said Science and Technology teacher Deborah Fairchild. “They need to know that regardless of their religion, their faith, or their headdress they have an opportunity to be equality citizens and have the same jobs and careers that others have.”
The teachers held signs and banners calling for equality and democratic rights. One young demonstrator held a poster that read “honk for human rights.”
Drivers passing by the school on St-Catherine obliged. A chorus of honks sent demonstrators into a roar of cheers every couple of minutes.