Jean-Paul Desbiens | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Jean-Paul Desbiens

Jean-Paul Desbiens, member of the Marist order of brothers, teacher, philosopher, writer, journalist (born on 7 March 1927 at Métabetchouan, QC; died on 23 July 2006 at Château-Richer). Desbiens’ book on the failures of Quebec’s education system, Les Insolences du Frère Untel (published in English as The Insolences of Brother Anonymous), received unprecedented success.

Jean-Paul Desbiens

Jean-Paul Desbiens’ debut as a writer and pamphleteer coincided with the beginning of the Quiet Revolution, with which he was closely associated. However, he was removed from the debate by his superiors and sent off to Europe (1961), where he studied theology and philosophy. Upon his return to Quebec (1964), he joined the Ministry of Education and became one of its chief architects of reform. In 1970, he joined La Presse as chief editorial writer and in 1972 returned to education as a school principal. He continued to write for various publications with his characteristic sense of the sacred and deep respect for man. He had a weekly column in La Presse.