Edmundston police forced to intervene in mask confrontation at high school

Edmundston police had to escort a parent out of a city high school this week after he got into a heated argument with the principal over the mask policy. 

Police were called to Cité-des-Jeunes-A.-M. Sormany on Tuesday after a man demanded his daughter be excluded from the provincewide mandatory mask policy put into effect when cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick started rising. 

The parent videotaped his argument with principal Bertin Lang and shared it on social media. 

An investigation into the incident is underway, but police have not laid a charge, Insp. Steve Robinson said Friday. 

The video shows the man screaming at Lang after he said the student wouldn't be permitted in class if she refused to wear a mask. 

The parent threatens to sue Lang and make sure "all the principals of the French-speaking school districts pay up." 

Two police officers can be seen entering the room soon after, then escorting the man out of the office. 

The Northwest Francophone School District has since sent a letter to the man saying he's banned from the premises of all schools in the district. 

Parents told Radio-Canada this week they're worried about what happened.

The school district didn't make anyone available for an interview but said in an email that it is "taking the incident very seriously."

"Our priority is to protect the health and safety of our students and staff," said Julie Poulin, a district spokesperson. 

The man in the video did not respond to Radio-Canada's interview requests.