The Lester B. Pearson School Board in Montreal has announced that a lawsuit against them has been dropped. The lawsuit, filed by ten parents in March 2024, alleged that a teacher at Westwood Junior High School was selling student artwork online without their knowledge. The teacher, identified as Mario Perron, uploaded images of the students’ artwork to his personal Pixels/Fine Arts America page for an educational activity on photo editing techniques. The teacher failed to notice that a marketing template on the website had been activated, leading to prices being added to the artwork without his knowledge.
The board investigated the allegations and found that the teacher had made an honest mistake and had not intended to profit personally from the students’ work. The teacher immediately took steps to correct the situation and remove the artwork and products from the website once he was made aware of the issue. The board issued a disciplinary sanction against the teacher, although the specific details of the sanction were not disclosed. The board and the teacher apologized for the situation experienced by the students and parents, emphasizing that the error was committed in good faith with no ill intent.
The board confirmed that none of the drawings or products were actually sold and that the teacher did not receive any money from the artwork. As a result of the investigation and corrective actions taken by the teacher, the parents who had filed the lawsuit dropped the legal action. Both parties agreed not to comment further on the matter as part of a confidentiality agreement. The board stated that the teacher remains dedicated to the success and learning of his students, indicating that the sanction imposed was appropriate given the circumstances of the situation.
Overall, the incident involving the unauthorized sale of student artwork online was deemed to be an honest mistake by the teacher, rather than a deliberate attempt at personal profit. The board and the teacher expressed regret for the situation and took immediate steps to rectify the error once it was brought to their attention. The parents who had initiated the legal action against the school board and the teacher have chosen to drop the lawsuit following the investigation and corrective actions taken. While the specifics of the disciplinary sanction imposed on the teacher were not disclosed, both parties have agreed to refrain from further public comment on the matter.
