‘Vous’ or ‘tu’? Quebec launches new civility policy in schools

It is now mandatory for students in Quebec to address teachers with terms of respect. Genevieve Beauchemin explains.

New rules of civility are now in the books across all Quebec classrooms.

The government brought in a new province-wide policy that makes it mandatory for students to address teachers with terms of respect like Mr. or Mrs., and to use the honorific “vous” in French, rather than the more informal term for the word “you,” which is “tu.”

Many school codes of conduct already require students to use some of these terms.

“We say Miss, or Madame or Monsieur,” said high school student Sofia Alfonso. “But not everyone does it all the time.”

The Quebec government wants it to be all the time, in all grade levels – starting in kindergarten – and for all students.

In a statement, the office for Quebec Education Minister Sonia Lebel said that “the rule aims to establish a framework in matters of civility which will promote respect for all in the education system.”

But some unions and educators say the government is missing the mark. Heidi Yetman, president of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, says that while respect is important, many of the rules are already in place in most schools.

“I think that what is really important here is that we need help on the ground for teachers that are really struggling with students that have behavioural issues and that have learning disabilities,” says Yetman.

She also says that it would be best to let teachers establish which rules of civility are a priority and how they want to be addressed in their classroom.

“I always say ‘leave it up to the teachers, the teachers know best,’” said Yetman. “Each teacher has a different way of teaching, a different way of developing a relationship with students.”

Vous or Tu?

In French schools and classrooms, there is an added twist of the tongue. Students can no longer use the informal word for you, which is “tu” to address teachers, but use the honorific “vous.”

“The simple explanation is that ‘tu’ is the more familiar colloquial form that we use with people that we are close to and that generally we consider ‘equals’,” said Julie Auger, Université de Montréal professor and president of the Canadian Linguistic Association. “Vous is the more polite form that we use with people we don’t know, particularly people who are older than us, and who may have power over us.”

Auger says the use of the word “vous” has been questioned over the course of history.

“At the time of the French Revolution, it was decided that hierarchy was bad and that you should use the word ‘tu’ with everyone, but that didn’t really catch on. It happened for a time, but then ‘vous’ came back,” she said.

She also says that the main difference in its use in Quebec now is that it tends to be used to speak to someone who is at least 15 or 20 years older, or in a position of power and prestige.

She also says that young children generally use the word “tu” with everyone in their immediate environment and that it’s not clear exactly when they can easily acquire social linguistic norms, as there are few studies on this topic.

She questions the government’s policy to apply the rule to kindergarten students.

“Should young children learn at the age of five or six when they have to acclimatize to a completely different environment? I have doubts about that, I have doubts especially when it comes to children with a learning disability, or more vulnerable children.”

Even high school students we met say some of their classmates find using “tu” and “vous” confusing.

“Most of the time, people just mix it up,” said Andra Freitas. “It depends on the person. Some are more respectful, but often you will hear someone say ‘tu Madame.’”

A faux pas, of sorts, according to the Quebec government.