Staff at Toronto school say they're receiving death threats amid near-daily fights, violence
Staff at a Toronto high school say their environment has become unsafe – with students using bathrooms as “fight clubs” and death threats being levied at teachers – leading more than a dozen staff to walk off the job earlier this month.
On a condition of remaining anonymous for fear they could lose their job, two York Memorial Collegiate Institute staff members spoke to CTV News Toronto.
"I think right now our school is likely the most unsafe school of all of TDSB," one staff member said.
"Three vice principals to date have either been assaulted or had death threats," they said, noting that two of the incidents involved confiscated drugs.
In a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) letter sent to parents on Monday, the board acknowledged that the amalgamation of York Memorial and George Harvey have resulted in challenges.
"We know that this is a newly forming school community and it hasn't been without its challenges, concerns and indeed some fears, but we are committed to working collaboratively so all students and staff feel welcome and safe at school and work. They deserve that," the letter read.
The TDSB announced a new temporary principal will be taking over this week until they find a permanent one. They also added an executive advisor to address the issues at the school. The search to fill two vice-principal positions is also underway.
‘SWARMED’ BY STUDENTS
For weeks, York CI’s teachers have felt unsafe, with some adding they’ve been “swarmed by students,” and are witnessing near-daily fights.
They explained that students also feel unsafe, and are even avoiding school bathrooms.
"There was one dedicated to sex acts," said a staff member, who said another was being used for alleged drug use and a third had been deemed a so-called “fight club.”
"The older kids are making the kids that are going to use the washroom fight with each other," said a staff member, "and they're video taping it."
The staff members say students that need to go to the bathroom are either holding it in or leaving the school property.
"Students are using bathrooms in stores off site, they leave the school if they absolutely cannot hold it to either go home or use a washroom at a fast food place close by," they said.
After weeks of turmoil, the principal, along with several members of the school’s administration, did not show up to work on Nov. 2, citing an unsafe work environment.
MAYOR HAS MET WITH SCHOOL BOARDS, POLICE
Mayor John Tory, the Toronto Police Service and The Toronto District School Board met on Monday to discuss violence in schools.
"Right now the city, police and school board often operate on their own," said Tory, "I can just tell you, we're united."
He said he has already asked for another meeting to track progress.
One of the staff members who spoke to CTV News Toronto said there were probably 100 students out of the roughly 1,300 at the school causing the safety concerns, but they are hopeful some long-term solutions will solve what they're calling a "turf war" between the students and staff.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.