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The Montreal–Philippines cutlery controversy was an incident in 2006 in which a seven-year-old Canadian boy from a Filipino family was punished by his school in Roxboro, Montreal, for using his cutlery according to traditional Filipino etiquette. In response to the media coverage of the affair, a protest was held outside the Canadian embassy in Manila, and the Philippine Ambassador to Canada, José Brillantes, described it as an "affront to Filipino culture."〔(Montreal boy's silverware choice sparks protest in Philippines ), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, May 5, 2006.〕 Some commentators saw it as an example of prejudice and a culture clash, especially since the school board had previously expelled a Sikh student for carrying a kirpan (Sikh dagger).〔 ==Timeline== In April 2006, the boy was punished on ten separate occasions by the school lunchroom monitor at École Lalande for what the school called "disgusting" and "piggish" eating habits: using a fork to push his food onto a spoon before eating it. The school board countered that the boy was punished only for disruptive behavior. The boy's mother pursued a formal apology. She reported that school principal Normand Bergeron told her in a telephone conversation: "Madame, you are in Canada. Here in Canada you should eat the way Canadians eat."〔(Food fight infuriates Filipinos at home and abroad ), CTV News, May 5, 2006〕 The story first appeared in the ''West Island Chronicle''. According to the Montreal-area newspaper, "When (the boy's mother) questioned Bergeron about punishing students for their table habits, she says he replied that, 'If your son eats like a pig he has to go to another table because this is the way we do it and how we’re going to do it every time.'" In a ''Chronicle'' article, Bergeron expanded on his comments. He claimed that the boy was sometimes disruptive, and that was the reason for his being punished, not his fork and spoon habits:
Later reporting alleged that the boy was warned that he was tardy at the table, and so he reverted to the spoon-feeding method to save time. The boy said that he was separated from his lunchmates any time he ate that way. Bergeron was subsequently restrained from speaking on the issue by the school board; spokesperson Brigitte Gavreau stated that board policy was that students could eat with any utensils. A score of protestors outside the Canadian Embassy in Manila appealed for "respect for cultural diversity" and affirmed "we eat with a spoon and we're proud."〔(Protesters accused Canadian school of discriminating Filipino boy ), May 5, 2006 (from website of Sun.Star network of local newspapers in the Philippines)〕 The item was quickly picked up worldwide, especially in Filipino newspapers and websites. A security guard was assigned to the primary school, a police cruiser went on duty, and the school principal received a death threat. Fo Niemi, the boy's family's lawyer and the executive director for the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR), had to actively discourage people from the Filipino community from protesting in front of the school board. France Pilon, the assistant director of the school board, said that the boy's parents were repeatedly invited to meet with school officials, but declined, reportedly on legal advice. Pilon also said that the boy's parents have instructed him to eat apart from other students. The case was brought to the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal for formal mediation.〔(Incident might have been a mistake ), ''Montreal Gazette'', May 8, 2006〕〔("Board seeks mediation in food fight." ) 13 June 2006 . Montreal Gazette.〕 Should mediation fail, a formal inquiry will be held. In the meantime, the boy was transferred to a different elementary school.〔(Canada school spoon incident still unresolved ), ''The Manila Mail'', January 15, 2007.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Montreal–Philippines cutlery controversy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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