Parents whose children are attending a primary school north of Montreal are upset after learning that a staff member put duct tape in the mouths of several 1st and 2nd graders for being too loud, including one who has autism.
“I was horrified. It’s terrible. No father wants to hear that,” said Robyn Ridyard, whose seven-year-old autistic son came home Monday and told him what happened to him.
The incident happened at Joliette Elementary School, about 80 miles north of Montreal, during lunchtime, according to the school’s principal, Dan Tremblay.
In a letter sent to parents and obtained by CTV News, Tremblay said the lunch supervisor “joked” that if the students shouted, he would shut their mouths.
“The students started yelling and the supervisor, while the students were queuing to go outside, put the painter’s tape on their face,” Tremblay said, adding that he intervened immediately.
“I want to make it clear that the children were asked if they wanted to participate and were allowed to refuse.”
“However, this activity is inappropriate and there was and will be more intervention with the supervisor to make sure that an incident like this never happens again at Joliette Elementary.”
However, parents who spoke with CTV say shutting their mouths on children is anything but a joke and say some children were not asked for permission before putting the tape in their mouths.
“IT’S NOT A JOKE”
Ridyard said his nephew, who is in first grade, came home and told his mother that the same thing happened to him.
“No, it’s not a joke,” said Monika Chávez, the boy’s mother.
“My son said to me. I said, ‘Did you want to do this?’ He said, “No, I had no choice. It’s messy.”
Both parents say they are dissatisfied with the school’s response to the incident and are considering legal action.
“If I’m a director, the first thing I’m going to say is, ‘I’m sorry, ma’am, that this happened to your son.’
When contacted by telephone on Tuesday morning, Maxeen Jolin, Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board Communications Coordinator, reiterated that “the kids thought it was fun,” but at the same time said in an interview that supervisor was “very inadequate”.
Jolin confirmed that the supervisor was not at school on Tuesday, but said he could not divulge any information about the consequences, if any, he would face.