D茅borah De Braekeleer knew she would have to face her fear of bugs when she volunteered to be marooned on a remote island in the Philippines. But perhaps her greatest challenge awaited her when she returned home to Quebec.
The 39-year-old elementary school teacher is one of 20 cast members on the second season of 害羞草研究所淪urvivor Qu茅bec,害羞草研究所� a French-language franchise of the popular reality television competition series in which a group of thrill-seekers brave physical challenges and gruelling environmental conditions for the chance to win a $100,000 grand prize.
As of the latest episode Wednesday evening, De Braekeleer was one of 16 remaining contestants.
Yet while viewers watch De Braekeleer vie for the favour of her fellow competitors to avoid elimination by group vote, a different kind of drama is unfolding in St-Hyacinthe, Que., 50 kilometres east of Montreal. On March 26, the governing council of the school district where De Braekeleer taught Grade 3 voted 7-5 to fire her for taking unauthorized time off to participate in the show.
The decision has left some members of the community reeling. An online petition with more than 4,400 signatures is imploring the school board to reverse course.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 a teacher who is extremely appreciated,害羞草研究所� said Jo毛l B茅langer, a member of the school board council who voted against her ouster. 害羞草研究所淪he makes a difference, people really identify with her and have made her one of their own, so it害羞草研究所檚 really our whole community that害羞草研究所檚 in mourning.害羞草研究所�
Reached by social media, De Braekeleer said she can害羞草研究所檛 talk to reporters while she is still on the Noovo network害羞草研究所檚 show.
But in an interview Thursday, B茅langer explained what happened. De Braekeleer made a request in November for two months of unpaid leave to compete on the show but received a swift rejection from the school board害羞草研究所檚 human resources department, which cited a local teacher shortage. Not wanting to give up the opportunity, De Braekeleer made her own arrangements and enlisted replacements to cover her absence, and even made a video for her students to prepare them for her departure in January, B茅langer said.
The human resources department nevertheless warned of repercussions if De Braekeleer went ahead with her unsanctioned time off. And on the department害羞草研究所檚 recommendation, the council voted to dismiss De Braekeleer while she was in the Philippines filming 害羞草研究所淪urvivor害羞草研究所� and unable to defend herself, B茅langer said.
The news of her firing has 害羞草研究所渟hocked害羞草研究所� her family in her home country of Belgium, her aunt, Mich猫le De Braekeleer, said in a transatlantic phone interview Thursday. She said her niece began studying to be a teacher in Europe but soon 害羞草研究所渇ell in love害羞草研究所� with Canada and decided to pursue her passion in Quebec.
害羞草研究所淭his is an aberration,害羞草研究所� Mich猫le De Braekeleer said of the dismissal. 害羞草研究所淚 think there害羞草研究所檚 a lack of discernment on the part of the school board.害羞草研究所�
In an emailed statement, the board 害羞草研究所� Centre de services scolaire de Saint-Hyacinthe 害羞草研究所� said confidentiality rules limit its ability to comment on De Braekeleer害羞草研究所檚 case, saying only that it is bound to apply the conventions of the teachers害羞草研究所� collective agreement. The board confirmed, however, that the agreement allowed De Braekeleer to apply for a different position and resume teaching on Monday.
But the board hasn害羞草研究所檛 reinstated De Braekeleer to her previous permanent job, Patrick Th茅roux, president of the local teachers union, explained in an interview. Instead, De Braekeleer now finds herself in the odd position of filling in as her own substitute for the very class at Saint-Thomas-d害羞草研究所橝quin elementary school that she left in January, he said.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really a funny image,害羞草研究所� he remarked. 害羞草研究所淗ere in St-Hyacinthe, there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of effort put into the image of the school board as a place where there are good values. And then, well, we fire a teacher in the middle of a shortage and hire her back a few days later to replace herself.害羞草研究所�
De Braekeleer害羞草研究所檚 future beyond the end of this school year is uncertain, B茅langer said, vowing to continue efforts to pressure local officials to reconsider her dismissal. He said her supporters are also making appeals to the provincial government.
害羞草研究所淭he community of Saint-Thomas (school) supports D茅borah and they害羞草研究所檙e going to fight until she gets her rights back,害羞草研究所� he said.
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