An investigation has been launched following allegations that a group of Muslim teachers in Montreal – predominantly members of the North African Maghrebi clan – created a hostile environment within a school by promoting Islamic extremist ideology. These teachers, accused of imposing a toxic climate, have been temporarily suspended and their teaching licenses revoked pending further findings.

Western Standard (h/t Canuck Guy) A firestorm has erupted over revelations that “Islamic religious concepts” have been abusively forced on elementary students at Montreal’s Bedford public school since 2016. And a threatened Quebec politician who spoke out on behalf of students and against the school’s tense and toxic environment said she’s on “high alert” and requested extra protection for her and her family.

The initial story from 98.5 FM  describes tension between Muslim and non-Muslim teachers at Bedford.  According to the Education Ministry’s report, last year’s news coverage paints the picture of a dominant clan made up of teachers of Maghrebi origin clashing with a smaller group of teachers and staff of various origins.

A committee determined that the students’ physical, psychological, and emotional well-being was jeopardized.

The teachers are accused of screaming at students, treating boys and girls differently (for example, gender discrimination against girls not allowed to play soccer,) and inflicting humiliating punishment on children with learning disabilities who were called “lazy.” These students were deprived of help because resource staff were barred from classrooms.

“Some of the teachers even went as far as hindering surveillance of their classrooms by covering call door windows or interior windows in classrooms that have them,” stated a recent damning 90-page Quebec Education Ministry report.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said on X the suspended teachers were trying to “introduce Islamic religious concepts in a public school.” He wrote, “In Quebec, we decided a long time ago to get religion out of public schools. We will never go back.” Legault vowed to reinforce secularism rules in public schools that have been violated, according to Bill 21.

The heavily redacted report said members of a mosque exerted a “strong influence” on Bedford school staff. This was confirmed by Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville. “Members of a mosque intervened on occasion to ensure the conformity of the school model with a cultural model defended by the community which included the mosque,” Drainville told media.

Predictably, Montreal Muslim leaders assumed the victimhood posture and lashed out at politicians, accusing them of weaponizing secularismagainst mainly cultural communities practicing Islam, according to theCBC. “It’s quite troubling to see that the government jumps at every small opportunity to find blame, to blame the Muslim community in some way or another,” said Farida Mohamed, co-president of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women’s Montreal chapter.

It gets worse. Concerns have now expanded beyond Bedford. Three more schools are being monitored in the provincially run Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM,) overseeing many Montreal French public schools. Specifically, schools in the Montreal area are being scrutinized for alleged imposition of Islamic extremist teachings.

REBEL News Eric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec and a former worker in Morocco, has weighed in on the issue, recalling Morocco’s policies that restrict teachers and imams from promoting certain ideologies. He points out the irony, saying, “They can’t do this in an Islamic kingdom, but they are doing it here in Canada.”

Duhaime stresses that avoiding the term “Islam” or shying away from discussing its role in this situation could hinder efforts to address the real issues. He advocates for clear identification and resolution of the problem, urging policy changes to ensure that immigrants integrate by learning French and upholding shared values essential to Quebec society.