Parents with children at Lester B. Pearson high schools in the West Island have formed a committee to go over next steps with the school board, following the death of 16-year-old Lucas Gaudet.
The John Rennie High School student was allegedly stabbed during an altercation with other students outside St. Thomas High School in Pointe-Claire on Feb. 8. Gaudet succumbed to his injuries in hospital two days later.
Two weeks since his death, parents claim the school board is “not doing enough” to acknowledge their concerns and those of students.
At the LBPSB’s first council meeting since the death Monday night, Gaudet’s death was top of mind. The meeting began with the Central Students Committee expressing the school board’s condolences to his family and friends and was the focus of reports from the chair and director-general.
During the question period, parents urged the board for more proactive measures to ensure student safety.
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“We put into place everything we can at the school level to ensure the safety and security of our kids,” said Colleen Galley, LBPSP District 2 Representative in an interview with Global News.
According to Galley, the school doors are locked and administration acts upon information when there is an incidence of violent behaviour.
“Security guards are currently at the school as an extra measure,” said Galley. Parents want to see that measure extended to ensure similar incidents do not take place at their children’s school.
“I don’t think that we can promise that we’ll have security guards in all of our schools across the island from now till eternity,” said Chair Judy Kelley.
“What we need to manage now is the apprehension and the fear of children perhaps not wanting to return to school so we really need to create that security blanket for them now and for the weeks to come.”
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