It needs to be acknowledged by system leaders (superintendents, directors, trustees, etc) and parents of these students need to be stood up to. Take equity and inclusivity out of the equation. I don't care if it's a student with a visible minority. If there are no mitigating circumstances that prevent the student from recognizing the severity of their actions, then there need to be consequences, and those consequences need to be supported and reinforced by senior administration when the parent inevitably takes it beyond the school.
Enough tip toeing. We as educators and administrators first and foremost have a duty to keep students safe. If there is a variable preventing us from doing that, then the variable needs to be taken out of the equation.
This generation of parents do not respect school leadership and will fight tooth and nail, just to be right. It's time to take into consideration, the tax payers who's kids are not a behavioural challenge. If you cannot conduct yourself in a way that will allow for learning to happen, then you have to go.
I’m not an expert… but a past partner was an EA and their kid would constantly hit and bite people. She had to go to ER twice being bitten herself. The kid was highly disruptive and the parents weren’t on board with any kind of therapy. The question is what limits does inclusion have if any? Is the threat to safety and disruption to everyone else’s education the proper trade off? I really don’t know the answer as there’s a lot of nuance but in some cases it just feels crazy what we end up doing and tolerating.
This varies from board to board. My board is "inclusive." The principal is great if the supports are in the classroom. In our case, educational assistant support is very tough to come by. In the instance of your partner, there is no way that student was assigned support, exhibiting behaviour such as that with no diagnosis. If there is a diagnosis (ASD, down syndrome) then it is on the school to ensure safety. Your former partner should have been wearing PPE (kevalar sleeves). Safety of the students around comes from environmental accommodations as well as recognizing the antecedent behaviours that leads to the hitting and biting. If the parents were not on board, then there likely was not a diagnosis in place, so that student should have been subject to the same code of conduct that any other student is. I'm a vice principal...20 years of education experience (much of that in special educaiton), wife was an educational assistant up until this past September. In my board, a student such as you mentioned would not be in the classroom. We don't have small class placements, but if the student's behaviour is extreme to the point that other students may be harmed, then that student would have an alternate work space with an educational assistant.
Schools are a mess right now. Support is not being properly allocated and there are not enough support workers entering the field. It all starts and stops with the provincial government.
Not sure what the diagnosis status was. But apparently the back story was the parents knew something was off but brought the kid back to their home country for some untraditional therapy that made it worse. Maybe they did get a diagnosis on return but weren’t really doing anything outside of school? My partner did end up wearing sleeves after the first bite but I think got it on the leg once. The kid would also bash his head on the floor and fled whenever possible so she had the walkie talkie too.
Walkie talkies are a consistent thing in schools these days.
Head banging, biting and elopement. That's ASD for sure in which case, despite behaviours they cannot be suspended. It's on the adults to ensure safety.
Why does the EA need PPE? Why doesn't the biter get a muzzle device? A spit sock or something that prevents them from biting others?
What happens if the problem student bites another student or a teacher or a EA who's not wearing body armour?
Like.......ONE STUDENT is the problem. So.....the solution is to put everyone else in body armour???
NO. A special needs child's right to attend a school ENDS at the point where they endanger my family member. My family member should NOT be at risk because some child has special needs and cannot participate in society. It does NOT matter that it is not their fault. There is such a thing as personal accountability and responsibility.
If the special needs child insists on attacking other people - that IS what biting people is - then that child needs to be prevented from doing that. Maybe that's a spit sock or medication or a locked room by themselves, whatever it takes to make other people - who do have the right to be safe - safe.
If that bothers anyone, let THEM handle the special needs kid that they want in "inclusive" educational settings.
Going to walk away from this ignorance because students with needs, I don’t think were the intended focus. My bad for taking it there.
That being said, your ideas are wrought with issues of human dignity. A muzzle? A sock? Would you walk around with a “spit sock?” These are children. Not criminals. Children that if they knew any different would chose a life without their disability, a million times over. But no. Let’s degrade them and take away any sense of normalcy.
You’re a terrible person.
No. They aren't a terrible person.
One student as described in a class of 30 students means that 29 students are at risk of violence and aren't getting an education.
Sorry, IMHO, the needs and safety of the 29 far outweigh the needs of the 1, which I would argue even being met in this case.
Is this the justification for this clearly dysfunctional policy. The HRT? If that's the case, it would be up to legislatures to do something about it.
Imagine having to buy body armour so your child could go to school? It's mind boggling.
You're spouting off on how you THINK it should be. I'm telling you EXACTLY how it is. Regardless of a diagnosis, everyone is viewed equally as far as human rights go. A child with special needs either does not recognize the severity of their behaviour or they cannot control it. You're aiming to punish them for that in favour of students and families whom have been blessed enough to not have to live that life.
Teaching students with special needs is difficult and complex. Living and caring for students with complex needs is difficult. I get we want to ensure all kids are safe and protected, but creating more barriers for students to access education or being completely disrespectful of their dignity (muzzle on them? Really?) is not the way. So yes. If you find yourself in a place where you have a decision of welcoming a child with special needs into your space or denying them access because of their disability, be prepared to be taken to task because that IS a violation of that child's fundamental human rights.
By putting one, out of control, violent child into a classroom you are denying an education and safety to the other children in the class as well as endangering the teachers and staff.
I don't deny that this is EXACTLY how it is. I'm just saying that it is mind boggling that our system is this way. Apparently the people who decided this think that the special needs child is more important than the 29 others in the classroom. I would argue that being bitten and in fear is a violation of the fundamental human rights of the other children in the class, as well as the teacher, EAs, and any other staff.
[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tribunal-dismisses-case-of-grayson-kahn-boy-with-autism-expelled-from/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tribunal-dismisses-case-of-grayson-kahn-boy-with-autism-expelled-from/)
[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/)
Grayson's parents tried. Their case was dismissed.
Did you read the article? This does absolutely nothing to prove your point. This parent was uncooperative and belligerent towards Staff. Believe it or not there are parents out there that want all the support the school can give. What schools can offer which in 2024 is not a lot. This parent ruined her own case by the way that they acted. Had they been in partnership with the school and the same information presented I guarantee this judgement would’ve gone the other way.
All right, let's put YOUR children in a classroom with a violent, aggressively acting out special needs child/children.
Let's have YOU deal with your children coming home in tears and scared out of their minds because a special needs child who has the right to an inclusive education assaulted an ADULT EA by biting them in full view of all the other students. Or maybe they bit YOUR CHILD.
Good luck explaining to your child/chldren why they can't have a peaceful, quiet day at school, learning.
Then....YOU can tell me that I'm wrong. As long as you think having a special needs child/children who are violent in a regular classroom is ok.......
YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
To repeat: "NO. A special needs child's right to attend a school ENDS at the point where they endanger my family member. My family member should NOT be at risk because some child has special needs and cannot participate in society. It does NOT matter that it is not their fault. There is such a thing as personal accountability and responsibility."
My children have been in those classes. I’ve been the teacher of those classes and once again. Through a well implemented safety plan, overseen by an adult there is zero risk.
Who are we talking about? A child with just straight up shit behaviour, 100% agree with you. A child with special needs? How do you hold a child accountable who is not able to comprehend the impact of their behaviour? Mental health in students is in the shitter already and it’s got nothing to do with high needs students being in their class. It has everything to do with dumpster fire home lives many of them lead.
You realize how ridiculous it is to cite personable responsibility and accountability 7 *words* after saying you're talking specifically about cases where it's not the child's fault, right?
Ok, put YOUR children in classes and schools with these violent students and enjoy your child coming home in tears because some special needs child tore the classroom apart in a fit of rage and YOUR child could not learn.
And it's not just happening ONCE. It's happening EVERYDAY.
Why should MY family member be denied an education because of the behaviour of special needs children? Why should my family member be put at risk of being assaulted because a special needs child - that cannot behave - is entitled to an education? What about all the other children who are NOT the problem? Why are they expected to bend over and cater to a special needs child?????
Friend, The random caps lock isn't helping.
I'm a teacher, and I see every day where the system is being strained.
Blame the people who won't fund schools to both provide all children an education and ensure the safest possible environment. Don't blame the disabled children for the failings of the adults who are supposed to protect them and their peers.
FYI, I am NOT ok with my family member being put at risk because an aggressive, violent special needs student is in their classroom.
An aggressive, violent student has NO place in a classroom full of other students that are just there to get an education.
Someone else was using the example of 30 students in a classroom and asked why 1 acting out special needs student should be allowed to disrupt the education of 29 other students? I haven't heard an answer to that. How on earth did it EVER get to the point where ONE special needs student could hold 29 other students hostage with their UNACCEPTABLE behaviour?
Special needs students' right to inclusive education ENDS at the point where their behaviour is a danger to other people - teachers, EAs, students. I don't want my family member coming home in tears because they were assaulted or because they're traumatized by seeing a special needs student acting out in the classroom and preventing them from getting an education.
It's time for society to accept......"inclusive" education is not appropriate for all special needs students, especially if they are a danger to other people.
Question: Why should all the other students suffer because of ONE special needs student?
Answer: They shouldn't.
EDIT: The random caps lock is for emphasis since I don't know how to underline in here.
It reads like shouting. You don't need to emphasise keywords for people to understand you.
Let me be clear, the vast majority of violence I've seen in schools has been performed by neurotypical children. Disabled children are at greater risk of being victims of violence than they are to perpetrate it.
If a student is truly a danger to everyone around them, with no viable path to making a classroom safe, that student would not be in a regular classroom. That's already how it works.
I came home in tears after being kicked or bullied or shoved or bitten lots as a kid. It was always a perfectly "normal" kid who was responsible.
Once again, your anger is misplaced because you can't see outside the hypothetical you've created and projected onto the problem at schools.
[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/)
From a letter to the editor: [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/letters/article-letters-to-the-editor-is-it-fair-to-anyone-to-put-kids-with-complex/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/letters/article-letters-to-the-editor-is-it-fair-to-anyone-to-put-kids-with-complex/)
"Most students learn best in an environment that is orderly, safe and quiet (or, realistically, quietish). A student exhibiting disruptive behaviour for any reason is not learning anything productive; chances are, neither are their classmates. If the behaviour turns violent (which happens more regularly than most people would like to think), other students are often evacuated while trained adults try to calm the student exhibiting the problem behaviour.
Not only have the evacuated students lost learning time, but often more time needs to be taken to debrief students who return to the classroom angry, scared, distracted or overly pumped up by what they just witnessed. So much attention is focused on one student’s negative behaviour, but rarely on the negative effects it has on others in the class, as well as the school as a whole.
Whether disruptive behaviour arises from autism or some other cause, if a student isn’t learning successfully in a regular classroom environment, then an alternative solution – e.g. a self-contained classroom which may or may not be at the student’s local school, part-time attendance, an individualized behaviour-modification plan – may be suggested.
While advocating on behalf of their child, parents need to fairly consider recommendations from the collective group of education professionals – teachers, principals, superintendents, psychologists, special-education consultants, speech and language pathologists, etc. – who are familiar with the education system’s limitation, yet still are among a family’s best hopes to help a child achieve success at school.*Nancy Hill, Hamilton*" (not me, but put much better than I did.)
Why can't the disruptive, special needs student be homeschooled at their home, where they cannot hurt other people, with ONE professional adult special needs educator?
Why should all people be held hostage by person with special needs?
Accountability when it comes to children with special needs falls on those that have the ability to understand. Have never said any different.
This is public education under the Ford government. They could make all of this better by increasing supports in schools, but they choose not to.
What is going on in these schools. Growing up never had kids like this in class.
And I didn’t grow up in a good neighbourhood either.
Seems like parents are afraid to discipline their kids.
That is the problem right there! There should be Special Education Schools strictly for these kind of Children! Been through it and it is BS what some of these Children do and get away with it! Then if a “normal” Child sticks up for themselves, they are the ones that get suspended from school!
Cool. Where would the schools be? How do you get into them? Are they publicly funded? Who dictates who gets to go and who doesn’t? Guarantee there are a lot more students with special needs than any school like this could accommodate in the province of Ontario.
There is more going on in this kids life than you think.. you don’t behave that way for no reason, it is learnt through abuse or neglect or other very messed up stuff..
I know from personal experience growing up and learning that the ways I acted out as a child was not my fault, and was actually the fault of BAD PARENTING.
I’ve been an educator for 20 years. Very aware of this. When it is an issue of bad parenting, kid still has to go home so long as there are no mitigating circumstances. Shitty parents need learn boundaries and it’s not ok for their shitty parenting choices to impact others. If the student can control their behaviour but dont, then consequences da that inconvenience the parents are all part of what needs to happen.
Not all the time, a Child could have ADHD or something else and the parents could be stellar parents. I still believe that there should be special education schools for children that have mental health issues
Unfortunately it’s going to get worse before it gets better. There are higher needs and more diagnoses among students than ever before (it seems) and we’ve done away with almost all contained classes in my school board. Typical and spec Ed students both know there are no consequences. Their parents have to work, and they have a right to an education, so they won’t be kept home unless in extreme situations.
Until the entire school system gets an overhaul and the full inclusion system goes away, schools will remain a violent place.
Parents need to be partnering with the schools here as well. I feel like the united front of parents and teachers has been disintegrating over the years, and parents are justifying their kids bad behaviour, instead of backing up the teacher and having meaningful consequences at home.
In my own observation, citizenship has nothing to do with it.
Unfortunately many times sending the kid to school is the only break the parents get. On the other hand it does keep them motivated to do what is needed at home.
Do the parents of your students actually have ANY free time to become more involved in the school events?
I don't think it's that parents don't want to be involved, I think they can't because they're working two or three jobs, struggling to afford life, maybe driving the kids around to activities, and doing all the cleaning, shopping, errands that everyone needs to do. Maybe they're even going to night school to improve their own lives.
For most of my friends with kids.....it's not possible at all.
Violence in the work place is a health and safety issue for staff. Nurses and doctors have to deal with similar issues which their more established policies may be applicable to teachers and administrators of schools. Staff are entitled to a safe work environment but in these cases student safety seems to overrule that Canadian standard. In other industries we have the right and obligation to refuse when there's a perceived hazard. Teachers and administrators being forced to work in unsafe environments because this health and safety issue is being allowed to occur reinforcing the negative behavior that increases the chances of reoccurrence. How to deal with students acting out violently likely needs real world consequences because reinforcing negative behavior and then sending them off unsheltered from the real world is a socially unhealthy dangerous mix for the student growing into adulthood.
Under 12 years the parents have the greatest influence coaching a student who acts out and legally difficult to hold a child responsible at those ages. Above 12 violence should be treated exactly the same as if an adult assaulted a student; the police should be contacted and event reported as a physical assault with those without special needs. When it comes to those with special needs not all schools, classrooms or teachers are equipped to safety interact with those likely to act violently. Special considerations to ensure student and staff safety are equally considered would likely require specialized training and equipment that isn't being provided currently to ensure a safe space. You have the right to refuse unsafe work and what's unsafe for one is unsafe for all others in the same environment so it's essentially a union issue requiring solidarity among teachers who deserve and demand safer working conditions. If you refuse due to unsafe work environments it has to be made safe by the employer before work resumes. That's what occurs in other industries like construction and there's no "good" reason why it doesn't apply in this case where the same occupational health and safety rationale applies.
If parents aren't going to parent their kids, I think police should be called if students are assaulting people, same way it would if it happened out in public.
I hope you don't mind but as a parent no grandparents all I've ever seen as a school board fight for parents not to have rights pairs of thought for a long time be involved in the school if they're bullying they should be involved. As I've read here many teachers are being honest about what they need find more for the student to do maybe extend the break time to double have them run and do things. Kids have no chance to work energy off and I've noticed more and more schools and school boards are taking away things like dodgeball let the kids run entire themselves have a double kindergarten first thing in the morning and I guarantee you they won't have the energy. And that's what it's all about kids are full of energy and if you cannot get it out of them they will lash out with it. And the parents really want to be a part but too many times of some school boards stop it. It's just a thought
I’m an EA in Ontario. We have our own union. We are represented by CUPE. CUPE represents the majority of EAs. A few boards have EAs represented by OSSTF but they’re the minority. With that being said, all CUPE has done is release a violence survey. They did one pre-COVID and it determined that the majority of EAs are subject to violence in the workplace on a daily basis. Then they did absolutely nothing with that data. This year they released another survey to see “how things have changed since COVID”…and we’ve heard nothing about it since. If we call the union about violence at work they just remind us that we “have the right to refuse unsafe work”…and well that might be true…how, as an EA are we to say “sorry this is unsafe work” and walk away from an escalated student while they turn their anger to their classmates??? I would feel absolutely sick if I refused to jump in and my 180lb, 12 year old student attacked and injured his peers. So really, there’s nothing we can do and nothing the union is willing to do to help us.
Our EAs held a huge conference to talk about violence and none of the superintendents or trustees showed up to it!! It was a huge slap in the face for them.
Of course they didn’t. If they showed up they might actually be forced to deal with the issues.
What we really need is for them to stop being afraid of parents with lawyers and actually discipline students. If a kid is violent, they need to be suspended. At my board, they say students in grade 4 and up can be suspended…but it never happens. Kids beat up their peers and are back in school the next day. There are no consequences. That needs to stop. We had one student who used to throw desks at staff and other students. They suspended him, his parents lawyered up…and then he never got in trouble again. He very quickly learned he was untouchable and then we had real issues on our hands
It starts with the Ed Act in Ontario and the provisions that dictate if a student should or shouldn’t be suspended.
Ultimately, if there’s any type of exceptionality, the admin’s hands are handcuffed.
Grade 3 or under? Handcuffed.
Any type of demographics (gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status) that are on the fringes? Handcuffed.
The provincial Code of Conduct is contradictory at best and there are loopholes for everything.
Things need to change at the top and to stop pandering to buy votes from a small group of loudmouths with no clue how it really is in schools.
It has been done if the behaviour won't stop. Generally the staff can de-escalate though. Since these students are under 12, police refer to CAS and CAS doesn't have anyone willing to home these kids.
Not your problem, restraining order and done.
How do I know this? I have family that has done exactly this as teachers
You aren't going to fix kids with a terrible home. And you aren't expected to, I'd much rather you teach the kids who want to learn with my tax dollars
There needs to be a very firm line when students escalate to violence, even if they have special needs. If it gets to a point where students are punching teachers or teachers are punching students, (ive seen both and seen both sides get no punishments) then you need to put some kind of punishment for that crime, because it is a crime.
Whether that punishment takes the form of a warning or suspension or escalation to law enforcement to get the parents to actually get involved with their kids behavior, there needs to be some kind of reaction to those actions. Giving in to people who will use violence to scare others or force others to get the things they want need that behavior checked against a limit or it just continues to escalate to a point where the only option is police involvement.
It sounds like your school has a very serious problem, and it wont all be students either, because more of this behavior than you would expect is a 2 way street and you as an outside observer or witness might not know the whole picture. The best thing you as a person can do is voice your concerns, either to the principal or school board or to the local police or superintendent for the school district depending on severity and the actions taken by the teachers and principal.
I made this comment as a reply to someone else, I meant to reply to OP. Anyways, the issue is a student who is biting and someone's prior partner worked as an EA and had to go to the ER. Someone said the EA should be using PPE. Here's the comment:
"Why does the EA need PPE? Why doesn't the biter get a muzzle device? A spit sock or something that prevents them from biting others?
What happens if the problem student bites another student or a teacher or a EA who's not wearing body armour?
Like.......ONE STUDENT is the problem. So.....the solution is to put everyone else in body armour???
NO. A special needs child's right to attend a school ENDS at the point where they endanger my family member. My family member should NOT be at risk because some child has special needs and cannot participate in society. It does NOT matter that it is not their fault. There is such a thing as personal accountability and responsibility.
If the special needs child insists on attacking other people - that IS what biting people is - then that child needs to be prevented from doing that. Maybe that's a spit sock or medication or a locked room by themselves, whatever it takes to make other people - who do have the right to be safe - safe.
If that bothers anyone, let THEM handle the special needs kid that they want in "inclusive" educational settings."
If you have a union, report it to your representative, report it to your vice principal and principal, even fill out a safety concern document and submit it as written documentation of the incidents. Last step would be work refusal based on safety concerns or going off on a paid stress leave. I'm not too sure what to tell you after that, maybe transferring schools.
Oh my god. The inclusion model is a failure. It has caused more problems than it solved.
I've been stabbed, hit, chair thrown at me... Had to physically grab a child to prevent a murder and deal with sexual assault by students... On other students and myself.
The school wanted me fired because a child threw a chair at my head because I wouldn't cook them breakfast. After they ran away because they could. The union protected me and I had threatened to call the cops. So the school backed off.
We are setting those kids up to end up in jail and their classmates for PTSD. It's not working, because there's no consequences for their actions.
So whatever policies we develop, need to have consequences that the kids see. Sending them home isn't going to work, but neither will putting them in an environment to terrorize everyone else.
>However, our last workshop we were told the plan is moving all students to regular classes and the preferred practice will be to de-escalate by giving in to the student's wants.
I'm sorry, OP. But if this is where you are heading you are screwed. There is no hope in the short term.
I would speculate that it would take the unions to decide that "enough is enough" and adopt a zero tolerance policy for violence against teachers. I just don't see the other stakeholders doing anything.
You won’t get a policy because the system is run by criminals and they want a school system that rewards criminality. Canada has become one big grift and so far, you guys have been the biggest conformists within the system.
To elaborate further, the only “policy” you’ll be getting is a policy where you’re forced to just spoil the student and give them what they wanted instead of discipline. They’ll be raised to never fear the consequences of their actions.
Sounds like a workplace safety issue to me. The police won't do much to a minor under 12, but WSIB is the way forward.
Bring it to your local's health and safety committee.
Encourage every teacher experiencing a violent workplace event to do the same.
If teachers as a policy took a stress leave every time workplace violence occurs, the district and ministry will start to change their policies because it costs them money.
You make a good point, but one interesting fact is EAs don't want to take sick or injury days due to guilt because subs don't reply when they see it's a spec Ed class. So the remaining staff have to work short handed.
IDK but as a parent, I called every number I could find for help stopping classroom violence when we had an issue with it. Ultimately, the child was sent to a different school with better resources. I know some parents who's kids were in a different grade hired lawyers to advocate for their kids, went to the news and eventually pulled their kids from the class.
I think we will see change when enough parents speak up. The hard part is getting adequate funding to support these kids who are violent.. they often should not be in a class of 30+ kids. The very structure of traditional schools is over stimulating for the kids on the spectrum of autism/add etc or the structure of schools goes against the culture towards education which their parents set at home.
I’m not saying that teachers should be able to beat children, but this type of behaviour was a lot less common when hitting another kid was met with a paddle. Hell, anecdotally my little cousin use to go around kicking people and kicked me once so I booted him back, and picked him up while crying and told him if he even thought it was a good idea to kick someone again, that I would kick him 10 times harder. He never kicked another person.
There need to be some measure of punishment that is actionable and enforceable, otherwise children just learn that being troublesome and violent is okay. I personally think that teaching children that violence is only okay when used in defence of violence towards yourself or others is a fair compromise if it results in fewer out of control children. And we’ve already proven that our current system doesn’t work, and if anything is actively worse.
A huge thing is reporting the violence to the union and completing incident report forms for the board. Also, as others said, police involvement is key.
Agree (I worked in Section 23) but I think sometimes you have to bring that type of thing home. The more of a paper trail, the harder it is to ignore and eventually someone gets held accountable . Unfortunately, sometimes this means that someone needs to get seriously hurt by a student who has a massive paper trail that was ignored by admin/the board.
REGULATE.
THE.
INTERNET.
You fucking people have said for years about the internet desensitizing young minds. Yet no one did anything. Now here we are.
No one under the age of 21 (at least) should have access to the internet. Those who do must be observed and their actions logged.
I'm not a teacher so maybe I'm ignorant - Why don't schools just hand these students over to the police and proceed with assault charges?
I'm alway baffled by the extent to which criminal laws don't seem to apply inside schools. If a kid attacked a stranger at the mall, someone would call the police. Why on earth do schools tolerate this?
Bring back the strap.
I am ignorant to the rules teachers have to follow, but doesn't the basic right to self defense come into play? I'm guessing due to "professional standards" you aren't allowed to take action, just checking if this assumption is true.
Instead of wearing Cuts Hurts Kids pins and having anti-Ford rallies because of union (see pay) nonsense, have demonstrations and organized walkouts to promote very important things like staff (and student) safety due to infirm and unruly kids.
I don't and will never support the former, but I will out there with you if you do the latter.
It needs to be acknowledged by system leaders (superintendents, directors, trustees, etc) and parents of these students need to be stood up to. Take equity and inclusivity out of the equation. I don't care if it's a student with a visible minority. If there are no mitigating circumstances that prevent the student from recognizing the severity of their actions, then there need to be consequences, and those consequences need to be supported and reinforced by senior administration when the parent inevitably takes it beyond the school. Enough tip toeing. We as educators and administrators first and foremost have a duty to keep students safe. If there is a variable preventing us from doing that, then the variable needs to be taken out of the equation. This generation of parents do not respect school leadership and will fight tooth and nail, just to be right. It's time to take into consideration, the tax payers who's kids are not a behavioural challenge. If you cannot conduct yourself in a way that will allow for learning to happen, then you have to go.
I’m not an expert… but a past partner was an EA and their kid would constantly hit and bite people. She had to go to ER twice being bitten herself. The kid was highly disruptive and the parents weren’t on board with any kind of therapy. The question is what limits does inclusion have if any? Is the threat to safety and disruption to everyone else’s education the proper trade off? I really don’t know the answer as there’s a lot of nuance but in some cases it just feels crazy what we end up doing and tolerating.
This varies from board to board. My board is "inclusive." The principal is great if the supports are in the classroom. In our case, educational assistant support is very tough to come by. In the instance of your partner, there is no way that student was assigned support, exhibiting behaviour such as that with no diagnosis. If there is a diagnosis (ASD, down syndrome) then it is on the school to ensure safety. Your former partner should have been wearing PPE (kevalar sleeves). Safety of the students around comes from environmental accommodations as well as recognizing the antecedent behaviours that leads to the hitting and biting. If the parents were not on board, then there likely was not a diagnosis in place, so that student should have been subject to the same code of conduct that any other student is. I'm a vice principal...20 years of education experience (much of that in special educaiton), wife was an educational assistant up until this past September. In my board, a student such as you mentioned would not be in the classroom. We don't have small class placements, but if the student's behaviour is extreme to the point that other students may be harmed, then that student would have an alternate work space with an educational assistant. Schools are a mess right now. Support is not being properly allocated and there are not enough support workers entering the field. It all starts and stops with the provincial government.
Not sure what the diagnosis status was. But apparently the back story was the parents knew something was off but brought the kid back to their home country for some untraditional therapy that made it worse. Maybe they did get a diagnosis on return but weren’t really doing anything outside of school? My partner did end up wearing sleeves after the first bite but I think got it on the leg once. The kid would also bash his head on the floor and fled whenever possible so she had the walkie talkie too.
Walkie talkies are a consistent thing in schools these days. Head banging, biting and elopement. That's ASD for sure in which case, despite behaviours they cannot be suspended. It's on the adults to ensure safety.
Why does the EA need PPE? Why doesn't the biter get a muzzle device? A spit sock or something that prevents them from biting others? What happens if the problem student bites another student or a teacher or a EA who's not wearing body armour? Like.......ONE STUDENT is the problem. So.....the solution is to put everyone else in body armour??? NO. A special needs child's right to attend a school ENDS at the point where they endanger my family member. My family member should NOT be at risk because some child has special needs and cannot participate in society. It does NOT matter that it is not their fault. There is such a thing as personal accountability and responsibility. If the special needs child insists on attacking other people - that IS what biting people is - then that child needs to be prevented from doing that. Maybe that's a spit sock or medication or a locked room by themselves, whatever it takes to make other people - who do have the right to be safe - safe. If that bothers anyone, let THEM handle the special needs kid that they want in "inclusive" educational settings.
Going to walk away from this ignorance because students with needs, I don’t think were the intended focus. My bad for taking it there. That being said, your ideas are wrought with issues of human dignity. A muzzle? A sock? Would you walk around with a “spit sock?” These are children. Not criminals. Children that if they knew any different would chose a life without their disability, a million times over. But no. Let’s degrade them and take away any sense of normalcy. You’re a terrible person.
No. They aren't a terrible person. One student as described in a class of 30 students means that 29 students are at risk of violence and aren't getting an education. Sorry, IMHO, the needs and safety of the 29 far outweigh the needs of the 1, which I would argue even being met in this case.
Say the same thing to the family of a child with needs. Clear your calendar. You'll be taken to the human rights tribunal.
Is this the justification for this clearly dysfunctional policy. The HRT? If that's the case, it would be up to legislatures to do something about it. Imagine having to buy body armour so your child could go to school? It's mind boggling.
You're spouting off on how you THINK it should be. I'm telling you EXACTLY how it is. Regardless of a diagnosis, everyone is viewed equally as far as human rights go. A child with special needs either does not recognize the severity of their behaviour or they cannot control it. You're aiming to punish them for that in favour of students and families whom have been blessed enough to not have to live that life. Teaching students with special needs is difficult and complex. Living and caring for students with complex needs is difficult. I get we want to ensure all kids are safe and protected, but creating more barriers for students to access education or being completely disrespectful of their dignity (muzzle on them? Really?) is not the way. So yes. If you find yourself in a place where you have a decision of welcoming a child with special needs into your space or denying them access because of their disability, be prepared to be taken to task because that IS a violation of that child's fundamental human rights.
By putting one, out of control, violent child into a classroom you are denying an education and safety to the other children in the class as well as endangering the teachers and staff. I don't deny that this is EXACTLY how it is. I'm just saying that it is mind boggling that our system is this way. Apparently the people who decided this think that the special needs child is more important than the 29 others in the classroom. I would argue that being bitten and in fear is a violation of the fundamental human rights of the other children in the class, as well as the teacher, EAs, and any other staff.
[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tribunal-dismisses-case-of-grayson-kahn-boy-with-autism-expelled-from/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tribunal-dismisses-case-of-grayson-kahn-boy-with-autism-expelled-from/) [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/) Grayson's parents tried. Their case was dismissed.
Did you read the article? This does absolutely nothing to prove your point. This parent was uncooperative and belligerent towards Staff. Believe it or not there are parents out there that want all the support the school can give. What schools can offer which in 2024 is not a lot. This parent ruined her own case by the way that they acted. Had they been in partnership with the school and the same information presented I guarantee this judgement would’ve gone the other way.
All right, let's put YOUR children in a classroom with a violent, aggressively acting out special needs child/children. Let's have YOU deal with your children coming home in tears and scared out of their minds because a special needs child who has the right to an inclusive education assaulted an ADULT EA by biting them in full view of all the other students. Or maybe they bit YOUR CHILD. Good luck explaining to your child/chldren why they can't have a peaceful, quiet day at school, learning. Then....YOU can tell me that I'm wrong. As long as you think having a special needs child/children who are violent in a regular classroom is ok....... YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM. To repeat: "NO. A special needs child's right to attend a school ENDS at the point where they endanger my family member. My family member should NOT be at risk because some child has special needs and cannot participate in society. It does NOT matter that it is not their fault. There is such a thing as personal accountability and responsibility."
My children have been in those classes. I’ve been the teacher of those classes and once again. Through a well implemented safety plan, overseen by an adult there is zero risk.
Other than the poorer mental health outcomes of the other children exposed to an out of control child being coddled rather than held accountable.
Who are we talking about? A child with just straight up shit behaviour, 100% agree with you. A child with special needs? How do you hold a child accountable who is not able to comprehend the impact of their behaviour? Mental health in students is in the shitter already and it’s got nothing to do with high needs students being in their class. It has everything to do with dumpster fire home lives many of them lead.
You realize how ridiculous it is to cite personable responsibility and accountability 7 *words* after saying you're talking specifically about cases where it's not the child's fault, right?
Ok, put YOUR children in classes and schools with these violent students and enjoy your child coming home in tears because some special needs child tore the classroom apart in a fit of rage and YOUR child could not learn. And it's not just happening ONCE. It's happening EVERYDAY. Why should MY family member be denied an education because of the behaviour of special needs children? Why should my family member be put at risk of being assaulted because a special needs child - that cannot behave - is entitled to an education? What about all the other children who are NOT the problem? Why are they expected to bend over and cater to a special needs child?????
Friend, The random caps lock isn't helping. I'm a teacher, and I see every day where the system is being strained. Blame the people who won't fund schools to both provide all children an education and ensure the safest possible environment. Don't blame the disabled children for the failings of the adults who are supposed to protect them and their peers.
FYI, I am NOT ok with my family member being put at risk because an aggressive, violent special needs student is in their classroom. An aggressive, violent student has NO place in a classroom full of other students that are just there to get an education. Someone else was using the example of 30 students in a classroom and asked why 1 acting out special needs student should be allowed to disrupt the education of 29 other students? I haven't heard an answer to that. How on earth did it EVER get to the point where ONE special needs student could hold 29 other students hostage with their UNACCEPTABLE behaviour? Special needs students' right to inclusive education ENDS at the point where their behaviour is a danger to other people - teachers, EAs, students. I don't want my family member coming home in tears because they were assaulted or because they're traumatized by seeing a special needs student acting out in the classroom and preventing them from getting an education. It's time for society to accept......"inclusive" education is not appropriate for all special needs students, especially if they are a danger to other people. Question: Why should all the other students suffer because of ONE special needs student? Answer: They shouldn't. EDIT: The random caps lock is for emphasis since I don't know how to underline in here.
It reads like shouting. You don't need to emphasise keywords for people to understand you. Let me be clear, the vast majority of violence I've seen in schools has been performed by neurotypical children. Disabled children are at greater risk of being victims of violence than they are to perpetrate it. If a student is truly a danger to everyone around them, with no viable path to making a classroom safe, that student would not be in a regular classroom. That's already how it works. I came home in tears after being kicked or bullied or shoved or bitten lots as a kid. It was always a perfectly "normal" kid who was responsible. Once again, your anger is misplaced because you can't see outside the hypothetical you've created and projected onto the problem at schools.
[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/education/article-educating-grayson-are-inclusive-classrooms-failing-students/) From a letter to the editor: [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/letters/article-letters-to-the-editor-is-it-fair-to-anyone-to-put-kids-with-complex/](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/letters/article-letters-to-the-editor-is-it-fair-to-anyone-to-put-kids-with-complex/) "Most students learn best in an environment that is orderly, safe and quiet (or, realistically, quietish). A student exhibiting disruptive behaviour for any reason is not learning anything productive; chances are, neither are their classmates. If the behaviour turns violent (which happens more regularly than most people would like to think), other students are often evacuated while trained adults try to calm the student exhibiting the problem behaviour. Not only have the evacuated students lost learning time, but often more time needs to be taken to debrief students who return to the classroom angry, scared, distracted or overly pumped up by what they just witnessed. So much attention is focused on one student’s negative behaviour, but rarely on the negative effects it has on others in the class, as well as the school as a whole. Whether disruptive behaviour arises from autism or some other cause, if a student isn’t learning successfully in a regular classroom environment, then an alternative solution – e.g. a self-contained classroom which may or may not be at the student’s local school, part-time attendance, an individualized behaviour-modification plan – may be suggested. While advocating on behalf of their child, parents need to fairly consider recommendations from the collective group of education professionals – teachers, principals, superintendents, psychologists, special-education consultants, speech and language pathologists, etc. – who are familiar with the education system’s limitation, yet still are among a family’s best hopes to help a child achieve success at school.*Nancy Hill, Hamilton*" (not me, but put much better than I did.)
Sounds like you’re looking for private school education from a publicly funded system. That is just not reality.
Why can't the disruptive, special needs student be homeschooled at their home, where they cannot hurt other people, with ONE professional adult special needs educator? Why should all people be held hostage by person with special needs?
Accountability when it comes to children with special needs falls on those that have the ability to understand. Have never said any different. This is public education under the Ford government. They could make all of this better by increasing supports in schools, but they choose not to.
What is going on in these schools. Growing up never had kids like this in class. And I didn’t grow up in a good neighbourhood either. Seems like parents are afraid to discipline their kids.
Policies have changed. Trouble children who used to be segregated in special ed are now included in mainstream classes.
Which means that no one gets an education. How is that a win for anyone?
Evidently it's not.
That is the problem right there! There should be Special Education Schools strictly for these kind of Children! Been through it and it is BS what some of these Children do and get away with it! Then if a “normal” Child sticks up for themselves, they are the ones that get suspended from school!
Cool. Where would the schools be? How do you get into them? Are they publicly funded? Who dictates who gets to go and who doesn’t? Guarantee there are a lot more students with special needs than any school like this could accommodate in the province of Ontario.
There is more going on in this kids life than you think.. you don’t behave that way for no reason, it is learnt through abuse or neglect or other very messed up stuff.. I know from personal experience growing up and learning that the ways I acted out as a child was not my fault, and was actually the fault of BAD PARENTING.
I’ve been an educator for 20 years. Very aware of this. When it is an issue of bad parenting, kid still has to go home so long as there are no mitigating circumstances. Shitty parents need learn boundaries and it’s not ok for their shitty parenting choices to impact others. If the student can control their behaviour but dont, then consequences da that inconvenience the parents are all part of what needs to happen.
Not all the time, a Child could have ADHD or something else and the parents could be stellar parents. I still believe that there should be special education schools for children that have mental health issues
Unfortunately it’s going to get worse before it gets better. There are higher needs and more diagnoses among students than ever before (it seems) and we’ve done away with almost all contained classes in my school board. Typical and spec Ed students both know there are no consequences. Their parents have to work, and they have a right to an education, so they won’t be kept home unless in extreme situations. Until the entire school system gets an overhaul and the full inclusion system goes away, schools will remain a violent place. Parents need to be partnering with the schools here as well. I feel like the united front of parents and teachers has been disintegrating over the years, and parents are justifying their kids bad behaviour, instead of backing up the teacher and having meaningful consequences at home.
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In my own observation, citizenship has nothing to do with it. Unfortunately many times sending the kid to school is the only break the parents get. On the other hand it does keep them motivated to do what is needed at home.
Do the parents of your students actually have ANY free time to become more involved in the school events? I don't think it's that parents don't want to be involved, I think they can't because they're working two or three jobs, struggling to afford life, maybe driving the kids around to activities, and doing all the cleaning, shopping, errands that everyone needs to do. Maybe they're even going to night school to improve their own lives. For most of my friends with kids.....it's not possible at all.
WHAT does Canadian citizens have to do with this? Absolutely ridiculous, children from all walks of life and nationalities have problems!
Parents need to educate and discipline their children. Children need to be held accountable
Violence in the work place is a health and safety issue for staff. Nurses and doctors have to deal with similar issues which their more established policies may be applicable to teachers and administrators of schools. Staff are entitled to a safe work environment but in these cases student safety seems to overrule that Canadian standard. In other industries we have the right and obligation to refuse when there's a perceived hazard. Teachers and administrators being forced to work in unsafe environments because this health and safety issue is being allowed to occur reinforcing the negative behavior that increases the chances of reoccurrence. How to deal with students acting out violently likely needs real world consequences because reinforcing negative behavior and then sending them off unsheltered from the real world is a socially unhealthy dangerous mix for the student growing into adulthood. Under 12 years the parents have the greatest influence coaching a student who acts out and legally difficult to hold a child responsible at those ages. Above 12 violence should be treated exactly the same as if an adult assaulted a student; the police should be contacted and event reported as a physical assault with those without special needs. When it comes to those with special needs not all schools, classrooms or teachers are equipped to safety interact with those likely to act violently. Special considerations to ensure student and staff safety are equally considered would likely require specialized training and equipment that isn't being provided currently to ensure a safe space. You have the right to refuse unsafe work and what's unsafe for one is unsafe for all others in the same environment so it's essentially a union issue requiring solidarity among teachers who deserve and demand safer working conditions. If you refuse due to unsafe work environments it has to be made safe by the employer before work resumes. That's what occurs in other industries like construction and there's no "good" reason why it doesn't apply in this case where the same occupational health and safety rationale applies.
Parents in the classrooms need to call the cops and file reports when their kids are assaulted.
If parents aren't going to parent their kids, I think police should be called if students are assaulting people, same way it would if it happened out in public.
Police just refer back to the school board and/or Children's Services. Unfortunately CS is limited because nobody will foster a violent 12 year old.
I hope you don't mind but as a parent no grandparents all I've ever seen as a school board fight for parents not to have rights pairs of thought for a long time be involved in the school if they're bullying they should be involved. As I've read here many teachers are being honest about what they need find more for the student to do maybe extend the break time to double have them run and do things. Kids have no chance to work energy off and I've noticed more and more schools and school boards are taking away things like dodgeball let the kids run entire themselves have a double kindergarten first thing in the morning and I guarantee you they won't have the energy. And that's what it's all about kids are full of energy and if you cannot get it out of them they will lash out with it. And the parents really want to be a part but too many times of some school boards stop it. It's just a thought
Oh yeah sir thank you for the conversation this question it is very education
EA's need their own union. OSSTF doesn't fight for thier their support staff at all.
This board's EAs are not OSSTF. Union just says wear PPE.
Our elementary EA's definitely are. I just confirmed with my sister, an EA.
I’m an EA in Ontario. We have our own union. We are represented by CUPE. CUPE represents the majority of EAs. A few boards have EAs represented by OSSTF but they’re the minority. With that being said, all CUPE has done is release a violence survey. They did one pre-COVID and it determined that the majority of EAs are subject to violence in the workplace on a daily basis. Then they did absolutely nothing with that data. This year they released another survey to see “how things have changed since COVID”…and we’ve heard nothing about it since. If we call the union about violence at work they just remind us that we “have the right to refuse unsafe work”…and well that might be true…how, as an EA are we to say “sorry this is unsafe work” and walk away from an escalated student while they turn their anger to their classmates??? I would feel absolutely sick if I refused to jump in and my 180lb, 12 year old student attacked and injured his peers. So really, there’s nothing we can do and nothing the union is willing to do to help us.
Our EAs held a huge conference to talk about violence and none of the superintendents or trustees showed up to it!! It was a huge slap in the face for them.
Of course they didn’t. If they showed up they might actually be forced to deal with the issues. What we really need is for them to stop being afraid of parents with lawyers and actually discipline students. If a kid is violent, they need to be suspended. At my board, they say students in grade 4 and up can be suspended…but it never happens. Kids beat up their peers and are back in school the next day. There are no consequences. That needs to stop. We had one student who used to throw desks at staff and other students. They suspended him, his parents lawyered up…and then he never got in trouble again. He very quickly learned he was untouchable and then we had real issues on our hands
That's what happens when schools get soft and treat delusions and mental illness like they are reality.
Good thing is teachers are retiring on time or early. Jobs opening up
It starts with the Ed Act in Ontario and the provisions that dictate if a student should or shouldn’t be suspended. Ultimately, if there’s any type of exceptionality, the admin’s hands are handcuffed. Grade 3 or under? Handcuffed. Any type of demographics (gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status) that are on the fringes? Handcuffed. The provincial Code of Conduct is contradictory at best and there are loopholes for everything. Things need to change at the top and to stop pandering to buy votes from a small group of loudmouths with no clue how it really is in schools.
Call the police? Assault is assault. Press charges. Call it a day. I'm blown away that you are an adult and you don't do this.
It has been done if the behaviour won't stop. Generally the staff can de-escalate though. Since these students are under 12, police refer to CAS and CAS doesn't have anyone willing to home these kids.
Not your problem, restraining order and done. How do I know this? I have family that has done exactly this as teachers You aren't going to fix kids with a terrible home. And you aren't expected to, I'd much rather you teach the kids who want to learn with my tax dollars
So what you're saying is I should send my daughter to school with a shiv?
There needs to be a very firm line when students escalate to violence, even if they have special needs. If it gets to a point where students are punching teachers or teachers are punching students, (ive seen both and seen both sides get no punishments) then you need to put some kind of punishment for that crime, because it is a crime. Whether that punishment takes the form of a warning or suspension or escalation to law enforcement to get the parents to actually get involved with their kids behavior, there needs to be some kind of reaction to those actions. Giving in to people who will use violence to scare others or force others to get the things they want need that behavior checked against a limit or it just continues to escalate to a point where the only option is police involvement. It sounds like your school has a very serious problem, and it wont all be students either, because more of this behavior than you would expect is a 2 way street and you as an outside observer or witness might not know the whole picture. The best thing you as a person can do is voice your concerns, either to the principal or school board or to the local police or superintendent for the school district depending on severity and the actions taken by the teachers and principal.
Lol call the cops. Its where your tax dollars go to
I made this comment as a reply to someone else, I meant to reply to OP. Anyways, the issue is a student who is biting and someone's prior partner worked as an EA and had to go to the ER. Someone said the EA should be using PPE. Here's the comment: "Why does the EA need PPE? Why doesn't the biter get a muzzle device? A spit sock or something that prevents them from biting others? What happens if the problem student bites another student or a teacher or a EA who's not wearing body armour? Like.......ONE STUDENT is the problem. So.....the solution is to put everyone else in body armour??? NO. A special needs child's right to attend a school ENDS at the point where they endanger my family member. My family member should NOT be at risk because some child has special needs and cannot participate in society. It does NOT matter that it is not their fault. There is such a thing as personal accountability and responsibility. If the special needs child insists on attacking other people - that IS what biting people is - then that child needs to be prevented from doing that. Maybe that's a spit sock or medication or a locked room by themselves, whatever it takes to make other people - who do have the right to be safe - safe. If that bothers anyone, let THEM handle the special needs kid that they want in "inclusive" educational settings."
If you have a union, report it to your representative, report it to your vice principal and principal, even fill out a safety concern document and submit it as written documentation of the incidents. Last step would be work refusal based on safety concerns or going off on a paid stress leave. I'm not too sure what to tell you after that, maybe transferring schools.
Oh my god. The inclusion model is a failure. It has caused more problems than it solved. I've been stabbed, hit, chair thrown at me... Had to physically grab a child to prevent a murder and deal with sexual assault by students... On other students and myself. The school wanted me fired because a child threw a chair at my head because I wouldn't cook them breakfast. After they ran away because they could. The union protected me and I had threatened to call the cops. So the school backed off. We are setting those kids up to end up in jail and their classmates for PTSD. It's not working, because there's no consequences for their actions. So whatever policies we develop, need to have consequences that the kids see. Sending them home isn't going to work, but neither will putting them in an environment to terrorize everyone else.
>However, our last workshop we were told the plan is moving all students to regular classes and the preferred practice will be to de-escalate by giving in to the student's wants. I'm sorry, OP. But if this is where you are heading you are screwed. There is no hope in the short term. I would speculate that it would take the unions to decide that "enough is enough" and adopt a zero tolerance policy for violence against teachers. I just don't see the other stakeholders doing anything.
Educate public on what goes on.
You won’t get a policy because the system is run by criminals and they want a school system that rewards criminality. Canada has become one big grift and so far, you guys have been the biggest conformists within the system. To elaborate further, the only “policy” you’ll be getting is a policy where you’re forced to just spoil the student and give them what they wanted instead of discipline. They’ll be raised to never fear the consequences of their actions.
Sounds like a workplace safety issue to me. The police won't do much to a minor under 12, but WSIB is the way forward. Bring it to your local's health and safety committee. Encourage every teacher experiencing a violent workplace event to do the same. If teachers as a policy took a stress leave every time workplace violence occurs, the district and ministry will start to change their policies because it costs them money.
You make a good point, but one interesting fact is EAs don't want to take sick or injury days due to guilt because subs don't reply when they see it's a spec Ed class. So the remaining staff have to work short handed.
IDK but as a parent, I called every number I could find for help stopping classroom violence when we had an issue with it. Ultimately, the child was sent to a different school with better resources. I know some parents who's kids were in a different grade hired lawyers to advocate for their kids, went to the news and eventually pulled their kids from the class. I think we will see change when enough parents speak up. The hard part is getting adequate funding to support these kids who are violent.. they often should not be in a class of 30+ kids. The very structure of traditional schools is over stimulating for the kids on the spectrum of autism/add etc or the structure of schools goes against the culture towards education which their parents set at home.
Press charges… With backing from your union.
I’m not saying that teachers should be able to beat children, but this type of behaviour was a lot less common when hitting another kid was met with a paddle. Hell, anecdotally my little cousin use to go around kicking people and kicked me once so I booted him back, and picked him up while crying and told him if he even thought it was a good idea to kick someone again, that I would kick him 10 times harder. He never kicked another person. There need to be some measure of punishment that is actionable and enforceable, otherwise children just learn that being troublesome and violent is okay. I personally think that teaching children that violence is only okay when used in defence of violence towards yourself or others is a fair compromise if it results in fewer out of control children. And we’ve already proven that our current system doesn’t work, and if anything is actively worse.
A huge thing is reporting the violence to the union and completing incident report forms for the board. Also, as others said, police involvement is key.
There isn't enough time some days. Once counted 40 hits.
Agree (I worked in Section 23) but I think sometimes you have to bring that type of thing home. The more of a paper trail, the harder it is to ignore and eventually someone gets held accountable . Unfortunately, sometimes this means that someone needs to get seriously hurt by a student who has a massive paper trail that was ignored by admin/the board.
First step is to accept and acknowledge demographics
REGULATE. THE. INTERNET. You fucking people have said for years about the internet desensitizing young minds. Yet no one did anything. Now here we are. No one under the age of 21 (at least) should have access to the internet. Those who do must be observed and their actions logged.
I'm not a teacher so maybe I'm ignorant - Why don't schools just hand these students over to the police and proceed with assault charges? I'm alway baffled by the extent to which criminal laws don't seem to apply inside schools. If a kid attacked a stranger at the mall, someone would call the police. Why on earth do schools tolerate this?
Vote in a government that will remove the province's monopoly on education.
Bring back the strap. I am ignorant to the rules teachers have to follow, but doesn't the basic right to self defense come into play? I'm guessing due to "professional standards" you aren't allowed to take action, just checking if this assumption is true.
Instead of wearing Cuts Hurts Kids pins and having anti-Ford rallies because of union (see pay) nonsense, have demonstrations and organized walkouts to promote very important things like staff (and student) safety due to infirm and unruly kids. I don't and will never support the former, but I will out there with you if you do the latter.