F.A.C.E. School students, parents condemn Quebec plan to sell building

Students of F.A.C.E. School in downtown Montreal protested through song outside City Hall on Monday evening to stand against the sale of their school after the Quebec Ministry of Education decided to scrap the planned renovations due to rising costs.

“While we were well aware that the F.A.C.E. building is in need of significant renovations, the possibility of this building closing as a school permanently was never raised,” said EMSB Chair Joe Ortona. “We are disappointed in the process. For the Minister to just announce this late on a Friday afternoon left everyone with more questions than answers. The Minister has an obligation to consult, even in the French sector! It’s a disregard of our rights.”

They estimated the project at $375 million compared to its initial $150 million price tag. As a result, approximately 1,300 students from kindergarten to Grade 11 will be permanently relocated to two different locations beginning in the next school year. 

“I don’t think that people realize just how big of a problem it would be if face was split into two, because we have a really great community in our school and that community should not be split into two separate places,” said Jingxian Lin, a Grade 10 student at F.A.C.E.

Geneviève Gueritaud, a parent of F.A.C.E. School student, explained that, “We were always assured that 3449 University, which is the current F.A.C.E school building, would stay as a school, would be renovated as a school for F.A.C.E School’s needs. And all of a sudden we’re being sent a different message.”

Ortona adds that the announcement also comes a day after the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled against legislation to abolish English school boards.

“We worked very closely with the CSSDM over the last number of years to come up with an interim solution,” said Ortona in a statement. “That meant placing the elementary and high school students in separate buildings and quite a distance from each other. It is hardly an ideal situation and poses its challenges. Had we known this would be permanent, we would have sought out other options in terms of facilities.”

The government plans to sell the building, and many parents and students like Jingxian Lin are worried it will be sold to private entities.

“It would be really devastating for a lot of people. A bunch of my friends, they have like siblings that go to the school, and I don’t know what would happen if we were like all split up,” Lin explained.

Gueritaud added, “We are worried that it’s going to be sold. But on the other hand, everybody’s asking who is going to buy this good. I mean, there’s so much to be repaired. There is so much. I mean, if that price tag the minister cites is really that high. Who has the money to buy it, then to repair it? I don’t know.”

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The new locations will be École Christophe Colomb and École Saint-Urbain, which are currently being renovated and are considered a step down by some parents as various art programs remain in jeopardy.

“Everybody is tense right now. It’s just a hard time for it. I’m definitely worried about this,” Gueritaud said.

“We can do without the appropriate visual arts teaching classrooms for a couple of years because it’s said to be temporary, but now we’re being sent into two locations with no adequate infrastructure,” she added.

“F.A.C.E. is more than a school. It is really a family. It is a place where you really feel at home.”

Students and parents have created a national assembly petition against the sale and move of the school with their goal of reaching 10,000 signatures by May 21st.

“So many things about face will disappear when they relocate us. And I think that they’re not really taking us into consideration that much at all. And I know we’re just one school, but I also feel like we’re something that’s truly special. And people have failed to grasp that,” said Lin.