School board, province, reviewing ETFO report on classroom violence

Ontario's education minister says statistics released by the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario on classroom violence are "troubling and disturbing."

This week, the ETFO released a report saying 70 per cent of its members have experienced or witnessed violence in the classroom.

"Any act of violence in our school is unacceptable," Indira Naidoo-Harris said.

"Our schools must be places of safety, inclusiveness. They've got to be welcoming."

She says she thanks ETFO for bringing attention to the issue.

"If we are to work together towards solutions, this kind of information helps us and helps us ensure that we are putting the supports and services in place that will really create safe, happy, healthy environments for teachers and students," she said.

Policy in place

The Rainbow District School Board said it's reviewing the report.

Bruce Bourget is superintendent of schools with the Rainbow board.

"We actually have encouraged and clarified with staff and administrators how to report any issues, just to make sure by the end of the year we have an accurate measure of how things are progressing in our schools," he said.

Bourget said the board has a policy in place to review any cases involving violent situations in the classroom.

"In those instances, each one of the reports are reviewed by the school administration [and] it's also forwarded to the superintendent to review," he explained.

"There's recommendations made about how to handle the situation or to put in supports that are in place for students should they require additional supports."