A Montreal-based Canadian teacher has been caught red-handed for allegedly selling his students’ art pieces on his personal website. The teacher, identified as Mario Perron teaches arts at Montreal’s Westwood Junior High School, and this distasteful discovery was made by his students when they stumble upon Perron’s personal website.
The students were shocked to find their artwork on coffee mugs, mobile cases and other items for sale on Perron’s website. Some were in complete disbelief and told their parents which angered them for selling their children’s art pieces without their consent.
“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.”
Art teacher put up his students’ art pieces for sale on website
Perron, whose identity was uncovered by CTV News, described himself as a “life-long student of art”. His artworks have been displayed in private collections in Canada, the US, Spain and Italy, as per his official website.
Many art pieces by students were found displayed on coffee mugs, notebooks, mobile cases and other such items with titles like- Julia’s Creepy Portrait, and Charlotte’s Creepy Portrait, apparently referring to the names of students who created the art.
After a complaint from parents on Monday, the links of the art pieces have now been routed to Perron’s paintings and the student art can no longer be purchased. Perron’s other social media accounts, including his pages on Instagram and Facebook, have also been taken down.
“I’m extremely disgusted with this person. It’s extremely, you know, it’s unbelievable,” Michael Bennett, who found work from both his daughters for sale, told CTV News. “Is [Perron] asking for these types of portraits to be done so it meets the market? I’m not quite sure about that aspect. However, I am not impressed at all with this person. I’m not impressed with the school, or the school board … [My daughters] feel cheated.”
The school board said in the official statement that they were “aware of the situation” and the administration is taking these allegations very seriously. The school also said that an investigation is “underway” and the board would not comment any further.
(With inputs from agencies)
