News Economy Health & Safety
Lawsuit to challenge Quebec back-to-school plan requiring in-person attendance

MONTREAL — A lawyer representing a group of Quebec parents says he’s moving forward with a legal challenge aimed at forcing the province to offer remote learning for families who don’t want their children returning to classrooms this fall.

Julius Grey said today the motion he’ll file in Quebec Superior Court later this week or next Monday will argue that requiring children to attend classes in person violates their parents’ charter rights to make decisions that affect life and security.

Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge repeated today that the province will offer online learning resources if a child or someone in their household has a medical condition that puts them at risk of health complications due to COVID-19.

But he says children without a medical exemption will have to attend classes or be homeschooled.

Grey says parents have many reasons for wanting to keep their children home, and the government can and should provide them that choice without making them pull their children from their normal schools.

He says he’ll seek an emergency hearing on the matter in the hopes of getting a decision in the next few weeks.