Reports of Student Violence on Teachers on the Rise, Teachers’ Unions Say
It’s only one month into the new school year, and Samantha Becotte says her email inbox is already flooding with reports of student violence on teachers. Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, describes the reports of student-on-teacher abuse as “very frequent.” Although the union does not track exact incident numbers, a recent survey found that 35% of teachers in Saskatchewan public schools reported experiencing violence or abuse from students in the last five years across all grade levels. Becotte says the frequency of reports she personally receives has increased significantly in the past year.
According to the union, teachers in Saskatchewan have reported incidents such as being hit, kicked, and spit on, as well as experiencing concussions, broken bones, and unknown substances being dropped into their drinks. In fact, the union received multiple reports of teachers being stabbed with pencils in just the first two weeks of the new school year.
Unfortunately, Saskatchewan is not the only region experiencing an increase in student-on-teacher violence in public schools. Teachers’ unions in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, as well as the Departments of Education in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, have described a similar frequency of incidents. Global News reached out to education departments in all provinces and territories and is waiting for responses.
In Nunavut, the education department has an online reporting system for violence within schools. Between October 2022 and June 2023, 245 incidents were reported, with 107 involving student-on-teacher violence. The reports were categorized as abuse/assault, discrimination, or threats.
A survey conducted by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario found that 77% of members personally experienced violence or witnessed violence by students against another staff member. The Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) reported 14,000 incidents of violence from students in the 2021/22 school year.
According to Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, reports of violence towards teachers involve both older students and children as young as three years old. Littlewood emphasizes that these incidents are not limited to high schools and that classrooms have become a “scary” place to be for teachers.
Teachers’ unions attribute the increase in violence towards teachers to the pandemic and funding issues. Ryan Lutes, president of NSTU, believes that the complexities of schools post-pandemic have not been matched with increased funding, resulting in more complex and challenging classrooms. Dr. Shimi Kang, a psychiatrist with Future Ready Minds, adds that the incidents of student-on-teacher violence reflect an overall increase in polarization, discrimination, and bullying in society.
Teachers are underreporting incidents of violence for a few reasons. Many teachers do not want to further disadvantage vulnerable students, are unsure of how to report an incident, or believe reporting won’t lead to action. Teachers’ unions emphasize the importance of proper reporting and documentation to address the issue. It is clear that more needs to be done to make schools safer for teachers.
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