Schools could benefit from more civility

Civility in schools isn’t about being strict. It’s about maintaining order and respect

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In Quebec, a new provincial regulation states that students must address their teachers as “vous” rather than “tu.”

It’s a significant change when you realize that the pronoun vous is a more formal way of addressing a person. Not only that, but Quebec students will also be required to refer to their teachers as Mr. or Ms.

In other words, teachers and students won’t be on a first-name basis in Quebec schools. Students will use formal titles in addressing teachers. After all, teachers are authority figures in school, not their students’ buddies. Formalizing the language is an important step in supporting the authority needed for education to take place.

Other provinces, including Manitoba, would do well to emulate Quebec’s example. While most Manitoba schools currently expect students to address their teachers by title and last name, this practice isn’t universal. Being on a first-name basis with students sends the unfortunate message that there’s no difference between the roles of teacher and student.

When students stop treating teachers with respect, classrooms lose order........

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