West Island man receives court order allowing him to watch his children's Christmas concert

A West Island man has won the right to attend Christmas activities at his children's school after he was denied entry to the building following an argument with the principal.

Anthony Wilson's two daughters attend Christmas Park School in Beaconsfield, Que.

At the end of November, there was a disagreement with the school principal Benjamin Matlin about the teaching material of one of his daughter's classes.

Wilson said there was a verbal argument and some “difficult emails” were exchanged.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board claimed that Wilson used foul language and threatened the principal. Wilson was no longer allowed to attend school except to pick up his children and bring them home.

In an interview with CBC News, Wilson said he never threatened violence.

Rather, he threatened to file a formal complaint against the school principal, which he later did.

“When I asked for a reason, they said they could exclude anyone they wanted from the building,” Wilson said, noting that he did not know it was possible to deny a parent access to the school.

Wilson, a lawyer by training, took the matter to Quebec Superior Court, seeking an injunction that would allow him to participate in his daughters' holiday activities at school.

Judge Lukasz Granosik issued the injunction on December 13, saying the school board had failed to demonstrate that the health and safety of school staff were at risk from Wilson's presence.

He also concluded that Wilson's children would be harmed if their father did not participate in school activities.

Wilson said he was pleased with the ruling. He said if there is another school event he wants to attend, he will seek another restraining order.

An “extraordinary measure”

The Lester B. Pearson School Board said it accepted the judge's decision. David Chisholm, a school board member, and Matlin were also named in the injunction.

“First of all, I want to say that this is an extraordinary measure,” said Tom Rhymes, deputy director general of the school board.

He added, however, that the board would have preferred if Wilson and the director had sat down and resolved the dispute alone.

Wilson said he was still opposed to sitting down with Matlin to discuss the issue.

Until both sides reach an agreement, Wilson will continue to be barred from attending school, according to school officials, unless the court forces them to make a different decision.