ROXBORO, Canada – Filipino Canadian
Associations this month held meetings with officials of the Commission Scolaire
Marguerite Bourgeoys in an attempt to resolve what is claimed to be a racist
act against a Filipino student because he ate with a spoon and fork.
Filipinos all over the world, including
in the US and in the Philippines
expressed outrage when 7-year-old Luc Cagadoc was reportedly told by a school
official in Roxboro that his eating with a spoon and fork was “disgusting and
yucky.” The Filipino Canadian community has asked for an apology from the
school officials and threatened to file a human rights complaint against the
school board which backed up the school’s decision.
Maria Theresa Gallardo, mother of Luc,
questioned the school principal’s decision to tell Luc that he must eat like
Canadians do.
CSMB maintains the Ecole Lalande student
was disciplined for his turbulent behaviour at the table and that it had
nothing to do with traditional Filipino eating habits.
The board was pleased that talks are
underway, its spokesman Brigitte Gauvreau said. She would not discuss details
of the meeting with the community leaders. Marlene Birao-Schachter, president
of the Federation of Filipino Canadian Associations of Quebec, said the
discussions got off to a good start.
David Cohen, an immigration attorney,
said “We can’t claim to live in a truly multi-cultural society when even a
small cultural difference like choice of eating utensils can’t be tolerated.
Living in a multi-cultural society means tolerating those differences that
don’t cause harm or insult fundamental values, and somehow I don’t see many
Canadians ready to fight for the mandatory use of forks and knives at all
dinner tables. If Canada
wants to be true to its image of tolerance, this kind of insensitive treatment
has to go.”
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