A teacher from Canada is facing criticism for reportedly utilizing his personal website to sell approximately 100 art pieces made by students, causing shock and frustration among parents.
Last night, students from Westwood junior high school in Montreal stumbled upon their art teacher’s website and made an unexpected discovery. Their own artwork was being sold on various items such as coffee mugs, phone cases, and clothing.
“Imagine your 13 year-old son coming home from school today with a story that his art teacher is selling students’ artwork online at $94 per drawing without their prior knowledge!? That is completely insane,” parent Joel DeBellefeuille posted on social media. “I’m sure I’m not the only parent that wants answers.”
According to CTV News, the teacher’s name is Mario Perron. The Guardian reached out for a comment, but did not receive a response. On his personal website, Perron, who lives in Montreal, states that he is a dedicated student of art. His pieces have been acquired by private collections in Canada, the US, Spain, and Italy.
Over 90 pieces of art are currently visible on the website, featuring titles such as “Julia’s Creepy Portrait” and “Charlotte’s Creepy Portrait”, which seem to be named after the students who made them. However, as of Monday, the links to these artworks now lead to Perron’s paintings and the student art is no longer available for purchase. Perron’s other social media accounts, including those on Instagram and Facebook, have also been removed.
Michael Bennett expressed extreme disgust towards a person who was selling portraits of his daughters, stating that it was unbelievable. He questioned whether the person, Perron, was requesting these types of portraits to cater to the market. He also mentioned being unimpressed with both Perron and the school board, and his daughters feeling cheated.
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The school board issued a statement acknowledging the situation and taking the allegations seriously. They also stated that an investigation is currently in progress and that the board will refrain from making further comments.
Source: theguardian.com
