Coalition PESQ
(la Coalition de Parents pour une École Secondaire de Quartier or Coalition of Parents for a Local French High School)
We are East end Toronto parents whose children are enrolled in French language elementary and secondary schools, schools of the French public board (Viamonde) and the French Catholic board (MonAvenir). Our neighbourhood consists of the wards Toronto-Danforth and Beaches-East York. Despite that there are three French elementary schools here (one in existence for more than 40 years), that serve close to 1000 students, this community still has no high school to welcome students from grades 7 to 12.
Article 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ensures our right to education in French and teaching establishments that are equivalent to those of the Anglophone majority. Presently, the lack of a local French high school transgresses this right. We are in communication with our French language school boards and we are putting pressure on the Government of Ontario to provide us with a school that is equivalent.
Our goals :
- Obtain the establishment of a French public secondary school (grades 7 to 12), or a shared French secondary school (public and Catholic), in our East end community that is equivalent to the Anglophone schools of the community.
- Halt the assimilation of the Francophone community in the East end.
- Inform Charter rights holders in our East end community of their rights under article 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and ensure that these rights are protected.
- Offer a unified voice for the East end community of Francophone parents to claim their rights.
The membership of our group is in constant evolution. Many parents are involved at different levels of participation. Presently, the governing members of la Coalition PESQ are Lianne Doucet, Melody Johnson and Heidi Pospisil.
Art by Jackson Lumley
@themightypython