Saint-Jérôme School Closes After Student Disturbance

A disturbance involving large groups of students at École polyvalente de Saint-Jérôme in Quebec prompted school officials to cancel classes on Monday, October 19, 2026, while authorities reviewed the incident and prepared additional security measures. The disruption occurred Friday, October 16, according to reports from La Presse, Noovo Info and Radio-Canada, amid online calls for school blockades.

The school district, Centre de services scolaire de la Rivière-du-Nord, closed the school for a professional development day to review videos, identify students involved and determine disciplinary consequences. The school serves approximately 3,400 students, according to La Presse and Noovo Info.

Police intervened after reports of a disorderly crowd in the school. Two teenagers were handcuffed after officers initially suspected a fight, but police released them without charges after questioning them and speaking with witnesses, Radio-Canada reported.

Police spokesperson Mélanie Bossé told Noovo Info that there had been no confirmed fight or conventional vandalism, although students were pushing and shouting, and reports mentioned overturned trash cans. A student told Noovo Info that some young people threw trash cans at others and ran through hallways. The same student alleged that some students had knives and were demanding the return of cellphones in classrooms; the reports did not independently establish those allegations.

René Brisson, director general of the school district, said the administration was treating the incident seriously and planned to review the footage to establish individual responsibility.

"Today's professional development day is intended to allow time to review Friday's events, identify the students responsible and revisit the roles and responsibilities of the school team."

Brisson also said additional staff and security officers would be deployed. The security personnel could conduct random searches when circumstances warranted, while police planned a stronger presence around the school and other secondary schools in the district.

School officials have not established a connection between the disturbance and student protests in France. Brisson described that possibility as speculative, while Nadyne Brochu, the district's communications coordinator, said officials did not know the students' motivations and would not speculate.

Online posts circulated calls for another blockade on Tuesday, October 20. Police spokesperson Mélanie Beauchamp told La Presse that officers would maintain a substantial presence near the school throughout the week. The district also planned to deploy security personnel when classes resumed.

School director Nathalie Flamand described the behavior in a letter to parents as unacceptable and said the school would examine available videos to identify organizers and participants. Potential disciplinary measures include suspension or a transfer to another school, depending on the seriousness of each student's actions.

Parents also raised concerns about student safety and communication from school officials. Fannie Touchette, whose 15-year-old son witnessed the disturbance, told La Presse that her son had his sweatshirt and cellphone stolen during the incident. She criticized what she considered insufficient information from the administration.

Touchette also described the cellphone restrictions as particularly stressful for parents who cannot reach their children during prolonged disruptions. She said her son was not afraid to return to school, although he had experienced significant anxiety after earlier incidents when he was in his first year of secondary school.

Gabrielle Clément, a mother of two students at the school, expressed doubts about whether her children would be safe in the days following the disturbance, according to Noovo Info. Radio-Canada also reported that some students and staff members were pushed during the crowd movement, but the school district said no major injuries had been reported.

The incident comes as France has experienced widespread protests and unrest, including demonstrations involving secondary school students. However, authorities in Saint-Jérôme have not confirmed that the local disturbance was directly connected to events in France.