A follow-up to the story we brought you earlier this week about a 16-year-old boy who was turned away from his Lasalle high school for unpaid fees.
A woman named Felicia called in to the Aaron Rand Show on Wednesday to report that her grandson was barred from entering the Cavelier-de-Lasalle high school earlier in the day because an unpaid bill which amounted to around $1,300.
She reported that several people had been denied access on the first day of classes, and that many were seen taking out their bank and credit cards before they could be allowed in.
A spokeswoman for the Margeurite-Bourgeoys School Board says everyone affected is now back in class — adding that it has a very clear policy on fee payment.
The board says it made it clear to all parents that students could not keep school books or any other materials if the fees were not paid, and if there's any kind of difficulty, the individual school schedules a meeting with the parents to come to an agreement.
The board's Gina Guillemette suggests the 16-year-old didn't have to miss classes that day — that it was all a misunderstanding.
"In no case should students have the feeling that they should have been forced to leave school if their parents have accumulated unpaid fees," a statement from the board reads, adding that if that was the case, the school would take care to rectify the situation quickly.
Meanwhile, the education ministry also issued a statement, pointing out that no child should be excluded from classes for non-payment of fees.