EMSB wants significant alterations to high school history course

CTV Montreal: Course criticized The EMSB is calling on Quebec to make significant revisions to the proposed high school curriculum.

The English Montreal School Board is calling on the provincial government to make significant revisions to the proposed high school curriculum.

The course for students in Secondary 3 and 4 has been criticized since it was implemented as a pilot project in 2015.

The new program, launched by the Ministry of Education during the Parti Quebecois government, focuses on the political history of the province while ignoring the non-francophones.

"Our big problem is with the content of the program, and especially as it relates to the contribution made by first nations, allophone communities and the anglophone communities," said EMBS commissioner Joseph Lalla.

Last year Education Minister Sebastien Proulx expressed some reticence with the course, and he agreed to delay its teaching province-wide until changes were made.

But the EMSB says the changes are not enough.

The majority of history teachers at the board -- 68 percent -- say the curriculum is incomplete.

The board is asking for another year's delay.

But one commissioner, Julien Feldman, said even that would not be enough.

"Under 23 of the Constitution we're allowed to advocate for our community. We're allowed to take care of the cultural needs of our community," said Feldman.

The EMSB said the fight for an accurate representation of Quebec's history concerns everyone, and it is encouraging other school boards to ask the Ministry to make changes.