--- Western Quebec School Board annual reports show only six escalated complaints of bullying to director general

Jordan Gowling

A review of the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) annual reports reveals six bullying complaints that were presented to the director general of the school board from 2013 to 2019. In 2010, the WQSB adopted a procedure to examine bullying complaints with the creation of Bylaw 18, entitled “Bylaw Establishing Procedures for the Examination of Complaints,” according to François Raymond, communications consultant at the WQSB.

The by-law outlines the process for a student or parent to escalate a complaint if they are unsatisfied with the course of action taken by a staff member at a school. According to the procedure, the complainant must first bring the complaint to the principal of the school, and then, if unsatisfied with the outcome the principal’s decision on the matter, the complainant can bring the concerns to the director of educational services. Only when the complainant remains unsatisfied with the response by the director of educational services, can they bring it to the director general of the school board. 

The provincial legislation that governs bullying policies of Quebec school boards is Bill 56, an Act to prevent and stop bullying and violence in schools, which was introduced in 2012 and came into effect on January 1, 2013. Under the 2012 law, every school board was required to establish an anti-bullying and anti-violence plan. The plan had to include policies that outline protocols for all employees of the board; procedures for reporting or registering a complaint; disciplinary actions; protections for the victim; and required follow-up on any report or complaint. The law also requires school boards to report how many cases of bullying are presented to the director general in their annual reports.

The WQSB began reporting the number of bullying complaint cases in its 2013 annual report, where the director general received three complaints that year. In the 2013-2014 school year there were two complaints. The director general had no complaints during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 academic years, but received one the following year. 

The 2019 annual report also documented no complaints to the director general, but confirmed that schools and centres reported 119 incidents of bullying that led to major interventions or suspension during the school year. The publication of the 2020 annual report is expected in January of 2021. (Local Journalism Initiative)