A Battle Over École F.A.C.E.: Montreal's Iconic School at the Heart of a Controversy
City admits possessing authority; Plant issues recall.
In the bustling cityscape of Montreal, a historic school has become a hot topic, drawing escalating concern from its community. The school in question is none other than École F.A.C.E., a bilingual institution with a rich heritage and a student body that's ready to put up a fight.
Valérie Plante, the city's mayor, voiced her worry as she faced reporters, noting, "École FACE is an institution, it's a genuinely exceptional building. It's a true concern, a major one. We'll delve into all the zoning matters. It's institutional zoning, so there's certainly power the borough holds."
Alarm bells rang when Quebec's Ministry of Education decided to abandon a $150 million renovation plan for École F.A.C.E. due to ballooning costs, now estimated at a whopping $375 million. Instead, the government plans to sell the school building.
This move, however, hasn't gone down well with the school's community. Recognizing the potential loss, around 1,300 students will be shifted to other schools starting from the 2025–2026 academic year. Their new hosts, École Christophe Colomb and École Saint-Urbain, are undergoing renovations, but critics fear they might not be able to cater adequately to specialized programs like music and visual arts.
Responding to the proposed sale, students have organizations rallies with musical demonstrations outside the school, and posters reading "The F.A.C.E. spirit is not for sale" have sprung up along the school fence. A petition against the sale and relocation, aiming for 10,000 signatures, has already garnered over 8,400 signatures.
Many find it distressing that the English Montreal School Board wasn't consulted about the sale. In addition, students view the relocation as potentially devastating due to the possibility of program cuts.
As the city grapples with the proposed school makeover, the future budget for Montreal school construction looms large. "The impact from the Quebec government's decisions is major," Mayor Plante mused. "We have so many young people. We still don't know what's going to happen."
She admitted that the City of Montreal had invested significant time negotiating land acquisitions for schools in major developments. "We've really done our part," she said.
In this heated debate, Montreal faces a tough choice between prioritizing fiscal responsibility and safeguarding the city's educational legacy.
- The mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, has voiced her concern over the potential sale of École F.A.C.E., stating that it's an exceptional building and the city will examine zoning matters.
- Critics argue that the new schools, École Christophe Colomb and École Saint-Urbain, may not be equipped to cater adequately to specialized programs like music and visual arts.
- The shift of around 1,300 students to other schools starting from the 2025–2026 academic year has been met with immense opposition, with student organizations organizing rallies and a petition against the sale and relocation gathering over 8,400 signatures.
- The City of Montreal had invested significant time negotiating land acquisitions for schools in major developments, and Mayor Plante admitted that the city has done its part in this regard. However, she expressed concerns over the impact of the Quebec government's decisions on the city's educational legacy and school construction budget.
