Elementary schools in Ontario need better supports to protect teachers and students from violent incidents due to children with behavioural challenges, according to the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO).
The union held a media conference in Toronto on June 21, joined by Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) and the Ontario Autism Coalition, according to an ETFO media release. The groups urged the provincial government to increase frontline supports in schools starting this September.
“Our students and educators urgently need an infusion of frontline supports in September to improve working and learning conditions in classrooms,” ETFO president Sam Hammond said at the conference. “Students exhibiting behavioural challenges must have earlier and better access to school supports. The sooner they get those, the sooner they can experience success as part of their school day.”
Hammond suggested educational assistants, youth workers, social workers, school support counsellors and school-board psychologists as examples of supports needed.
“We appreciate that the government has made recent investments for special-needs funding and is working with ETFO and others on the common goal of safe and healthy schools,” said Hammond. “It needs to find the funding for more frontline support services in schools and ensure that any new funding is dedicated to that purpose.”
ETFO had previously called for action to address workplace violence in schools in January. Aside from special-needs funding, the union had also requested legislative and policy requirements for safety, such as formal reporting procedures for violent incidents. Hitting, biting, punching and spitting are among the types of assaults that behaviourally challenged children have been directing at teachers and other students, according to the union.
CMHO CEO Kimberly Moran said at the conference that special-needs children are more likely to grow up mentally healthy if they get timely, high-quality treatment.
“Some Ontario children are waiting more than a year and a half for long-term therapy,” said Moran. “An immediate increase in mental-health supports is needed in the classroom and at children’s mental health centres in their community for the best possible outcome.”
The provincial Ministries of Labour and Education announced earlier in June that the government was planning to launch an initiative to reduce violence in schools. The plan will include enhanced enforcement by inspectors and managers, guidance materials for teachers and a review of reporting requirements (COHSN, June 13).
ETFO represents about 78,000 education workers in Ontario, including elementary-school teachers, occasional teachers and other education professionals.