CSDM says voting shouldn't happen on regular school days, after man follows boy into bathroom
Quebec's largest school board, the Commission Scolaire de Montréal, says an incident which happened during advance polls Monday shows polls shouldn't be set up in schools during regular school hours.
CSDM Chair Catherine Harel-Bourdon made that comment after a 13-year-old boy was sexually propositioned by a man who'd followed him into a school washroom in an east-end Montreal school.
"I deplore the incident that happened at Louis Riel high school, and I assure you that security is our top priority," Harel-Bourdon told CBC News.
"I believe voting days should not be occurring during class hours. It disrupts the smooth running of the school's regular schedule and has an impact on the children's education."
Police say the incident at École Louis-Riel happened at about 10:15 a.m., as members of the public filed in and out of the school in east-end Montreal.
SPVM Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant says a man in his 70s followed the boy into the washroom and, after the boy went into an enclosed stall, asked him if he "wanted sexual favours."
"The kid told him to leave him alone and leave, which the man did," Brabant said, adding the boy immediately told school staff about the incident.
The staff called 911 and filed a police report. Brabant said police searched around the school to see if the man was still in the area but did not find him.
Police are waiting to obtain video surveillance from the school to get a better description of the suspect. Brabant said the boy was only able to see him though a crack in the stall's door.
Police have asked the school's administration to ramp up security measures, Brabant said.
'Monday was too much'
Harel-Bourdon said the school board has no choice but to accept demands from Quebec's chief electoral officer (DGEQ) to open its schools for advance polling. More days were set aside for advance polling in this election, which resulted in École Louis-Riel being open to the public on Sunday and on Monday, as well.
"Sunday was OK, but Monday was too much," she said, saying pre-voting should be limited to weekends.
Harel-Bourdon said the DGEQ provides school boards with some money to hire security guards, but that it's not enough.
On regular school days, people are not allowed to enter schools without speaking to administrative staff first, she explained.
She said by the time the CSDM learned Monday would be an advance voting day, it was too late to schedule another pedagogical day.
The DGEQ would not comment on the incident nor say why advanced polls held at schools are not limited to weekends.
DGEQ spokesperson Ahissia Ahua told CBC News the chief electoral officer consults with schools and other institutions when it sets up polling stations, and the sites must meet certain criteria, including that they be wheelchair accessible.
Ahua said schools are often the only institutions in a neighbourhood to meet that criteria.
