Confining kids in lockers as punishment 'unacceptable': Quebec education minister
Quebec Education Minister Joël Arseneau is speaking out about school personnel who allegedly confined unruly children in a locker north of Montreal.
The minister says he was informed of the allegations at a school in the Laurentians and says the situation was unacceptable.
The allegations were first reported by Cogeco media outlets on Thursday.
The reports say at least three children between five and seven years old were isolated and sometimes locked in a lightly padded metal locker in order to get them to calm down.
They also say four employees, including a teacher and the school principal, were suspended following the allegations.
The alleged punishment occurred at a primary school operated by the Centre de services scolaire des Mille-Îles.
"I condemn it without reservation," Arseneau wrote on social media. "The intervention methods used with students must meet recognized best practices and respect their safety, dignity and particular needs. Under no circumstances should students be confined in lockers."
Local police and youth protection services are investigating the allegations.
The minister says he is in touch with authorities and will take "the necessary steps to shed full light on these practices, which we find highly problematic."
The media reports did not name the school in order to protect the children.
The Quebec Liberals, who form the official Opposition, also condemned the alleged actions by school personnel and said the minister should be held accountable.
Marc Tanguay, the Liberal education critic, says it is Arseneau's responsibility to be aware of what is happening in the school system and to implement best practices.
“Even if you are not the person who carried out the action, you are responsible for what happens under your authority,” he said on the sidelines of a Liberal caucus meeting at the legislature.
Tanguay is calling for a comprehensive review of the allegations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026.
— with files from Patrice Bergeron in Quebec City.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.