A committee is examining the actions of a teacher of ethics and religious culture who was transferred from the school where he teaches due to comments about Islam that are deemed unacceptable by the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal.

The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, was the one who ordered the formation of this committee after a complaint was filed by a member of the Muslim community in the Côte-des-Neiges area. Minister Drainville's office declined to comment on this decision for confidentiality reasons.

The purpose of the investigation is to determine whether this teacher has committed serious misconduct in performing his duties or has acted in a manner that undermines the honor and dignity of the teaching position.

The committee, which consists of three members—a lawyer and two representatives from the education sector—will also have to determine whether the complaint is valid or not.

The complaint, supported by more than 500 individuals, claims that several sections of the Education Act, concerning the respect for students' freedom of conscience and religion and the prevention of bullying, were violated during the ethics and religious culture course held last September at La Voie Secondary School in Montreal. The plaintiff, Ibrahim Aït Ouzid, is calling for the educator's teaching license to be revoked.

The committee will have to refer its findings to Minister Drainville, who will then decide the fate of the teacher.