A teacher near Montreal is under investigation after his students reportedly discovered their artwork for sale on his personal website. A student at Westwood Junior High School in the Montreal suburb of Saint-Lazare Googled Mario Perron's name and found the website of the self-described "multidisciplinary studio artist," where his students' art could be purchased on T-shirts, coffee mugs, and iPhone cases, per CTV News. "I'm extremely disgusted with this person," parent Michael Bennett tells the outlet, noting drawings from both his daughters were posted for sale on various websites.
Joel DeBellefeuille says a portrait of his 13-year-old son, drawn by a friend, was also for sale. "It's unbelievable that he felt that he had the right to utilize and essentially exploit these children's rights and their artwork for his own financial satisfaction," DeBellefeuille tells CTV of Perron, who's taught at the school since the fall of 2019. More than 90 portraits by students can still be found on Perron's website, priced at $118 each, but apparently not purchased, per the Guardian. All are classified as "creepy portraits." Titles include "Sophia's Creepy Portrait #1" and "Phoenix's Creepy Portrait #2."
"Is this teacher asking for certain types of projects to be done to be able to sell them?" asks Bennett. "Is he asking for these types of portraits to be done so it meets the market? I'm not quite sure." Either way, Bennett's daughters "feel cheated," he says. The Lester B. Pearson School Board says it's investigating and "taking these allegations very seriously." An intellectual property lawyer tells CTV the teacher would require permission from students to copy or sell their work. Without that permission, the artwork remains theirs. (More teacher stories.)
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