Parents file $1.5M lawsuit after Quebec teacher allegedly lists students' art for sale online

Lawsuit filed after children’s art stolen and sold Parents launched a lawsuit against a school board, alleging their children’s art was stolen and sold online.

Parents of Montreal-area high school students whose artwork was allegedly listed for sale online by their art teacher have officially filed a lawsuit.

Ten parents filed a complaint under the Copyright Act for $1.575 million, or $155,000 per plaintiff, from teacher Mario Perron and the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) for alleged intellectual property infringement. They are also asking for an apology and for the removal of the students' artwork from the website.

In February, students as young as 12 attending Westwood Junior High School in Saint-Lazare, Que. discovered their own drawings on multiple items listed for sale online, including t-shirts sold for $55, coffee mugs for $41, and even iPhone cases, being sold at $35 each. The story made international headlines and angry parents vowed to sue.

The documents have now been filed with the Quebec court, according to parent Joel DeBellefeuille. His brother, lawyer Martin DeBellefeuille, is representing the parents.

A bailiff is expected to serve the legal papers to the school board shortly, at which point it will have two weeks to respond.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board told CTV News on Friday that it does not comment on internal investigations of human resources issues. Last month the school board confirmed it had launched an administrative investigation into the teacher.

- With files from CTV News Montreal's Max Harrold