Ontario education workers, NDP call on government to stop violence in schools
Ontario education workers and the opposition NDP are calling on the Ford government to address growing violence in the Ontario’s schools.
A survey done for the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) last year found 77 per cent of union members had either experienced or witnessed violence.
Educational assistant Monica Melo-Manhsinh says the number of incidents have climbed over the last eight years, and the problems have deepened since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I have been kicked, punched, spit on, pushed into objects, had objects such as pieces of furniture thrown at me, bit, and in recent years, I've even been lifted off the ground by my neck," Melo-Manhsinh told reporters at Queen's Park Tuesday.
She says the damage to herself and her colleagues is physical, mental, and sometimes life-altering, taking surgery to repair. Once part of a team of nine, Melo-Manhsinh says budget cuts have reduced that number to just two.
New Democrats are urging the government to set up what they have dubbed an "Emergency Safe Schools Plan" that includes:
Hiring more staff including mental health workers, educational assistants and child and youth workers
- Funding for training
- A permanent working group on education sector violence
- A province-wide reporting system for incidents of violence
- An education sector regulation in the Occupational Health and Safety Act
NDP Education Critic Chandra Pasma says her party will move a motion, asking the government to adopt those changes when the legislature reconvenes next month.
She explains that the reduction in staff has meant educators aren't getting the one-on-one time with students they used to.
"They would know the triggers. They would see the student becoming agitated. They would be able to intervene to get the child out of that situation, or to take a body break to calm them down," Pasma said.
Schools are also seeing "spillover" from challenges away from school grounds. On Monday, a teenage boy was grazed in the head by a bullet in the parking lot of a Scarborough high school.
Pasma says a lack of access to youth programming, recreation programs, employment, and autism therapies are part of the problem.
"When there's no support in the community, no support in the health care system, then the school becomes the only form of support. And so these kids are becoming frustrated because the teachers, the education workers, the mental health professionals, child and youth workers, they don't have the time and the capacity to deal with every single problem that's not being dealt with outside the school," she said.
In a statement to CTV News Toronto, a spokersperson for the Ministry of Education said students and staff members "deserve to be safe and learn in positive school environments."
"For the 2024/25 school year we’ve provided school boards with $29 billion in education funding that includes $123 million to support schools in the implementation of programs, and initiatives on student safety, as well as critical safety infrastructure funding for security upgrades. Since 2018, we’ve increased student mental health supports by 577% and added an additional 900 education workers across the province. We have and we will continue to increase funding in education every single year of our mandate," the spokesperson noted.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates A 'ticking time bomb': Inside Syria's toughest prison holding accused high-ranking ISIS members
In the last of a three-part investigation, W5's Avery Haines was given rare access to a Syrian prison, where thousands of accused high-ranking ISIS members are being held.
'Mayday!': New details emerge after Boeing plane makes emergency landing at Mirabel airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
Class-action lawsuit on 'opioid-related wrongs': Court to rule on drug companies' appeal
Canada's top court will rule Friday on the appeal of a class-action lawsuit meant to recoup some of the costs associated with British Columbia's opioid crisis from major drug makers and distributors.
Real GDP per capita declines for 6th consecutive quarter, household savings rise
Statistics Canada says the economy grew at an annualized pace of one per cent during the third quarter, in line with economists' expectations.
Cucumbers sold in Ontario, other provinces recalled over possible salmonella contamination
A U.S. company is recalling cucumbers sold in Ontario and other Canadian provinces due to possible salmonella contamination.
Irregular sleep patterns may raise risk of heart attack and stroke, study suggests
Sleeping and waking up at different times is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, even for people who get the recommended amount of sleep, according to new research.
Nick Cannon says he's seeking help for narcissistic personality disorder
Nick Cannon has spoken out about his recent diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, saying 'I need help.'
California man who went missing for 25 years found after sister sees his picture in the news
It’s a Thanksgiving miracle for one California family after a man who went missing in 1999 was found 25 years later when his sister saw a photo of him in an online article, authorities said.
As Australia bans social media for children, Quebec is paying close attention
As Australia moves to ban social media for children under 16, Quebec is debating whether to follow suit.