Bill 40: A Hurried Bill with negative Consequences for Quebec Public Schools

KIRKLAND, QC, Feb. 10, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT) wishes to express, on behalf of the teachers it represents, its profound discontent and major concerns in regard to the content and process followed by the Legault Government in adopting Bill 40, An Act to amend mainly the Education Act with regard to school organization and governance.

The government announced earlier this week its intention to shorten the essential democratic process of studying Bill 40, article by article, in parliamentary commission by using closure to force the adoption of the Bill. QPAT has denounced on several occasions the unjustified short timeline established by the government to adopt a law that will have significant impact on our education system. Given the vast number of changes proposed in the bill, a much longer period would have been needed to adopt a law that seriously reflects the interests of Quebec's student population.

The government has decided to essentially eliminate an important local democratic layer without seeking to improve it first. These changes will result in a loss of representation and equity within our education system. Despite numerous amendments made since the tabling of the Bill in the Fall, the rush to adopt the bill has left many essential questions unanswered on many of its components, its practical implementation and potential impact. Furthermore, the Minister is, in effect, eliminating all possibilities of critiques by local school board representatives towards ministerial decisions and policies, while centralizing more powers in his hands.

In addition to the proposed changes to school governance, the Minister included modifications which constitute a direct attack on the professional autonomy of teachers. Namely, the imposition of a rigid professional development system for teachers, which has always been a matter of negotiations, shows no respect for the present negotiations process and no recognition of our members' strong engagement in their profession.

"Given that this week is teacher appreciation week, which is a week to celebrate teachers who work very hard to educate students in sometimes very difficult conditions, we find it particularly contradictory and unacceptable that the Minister of Education is going to force the closure of debate on Bill 40. The Bill, which contains a whopping 300 articles, not only changes the governance of our public schools but also increases teacher obligations. It is a twofold blow to democracy: a loss of democracy in the governing of our schools and the pushing through of a Bill that needs far more consideration," said Heidi Yetman, President of QPAT.

QPAT is the federation of unions that represents 8,000 teachers in Quebec's public English schools.

Heidi Yetman
QPAT President

SOURCE Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers