TORONTO, May 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers (TECT) are raising concerns about increased violence in schools, and the negative impact on student learning and the growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis.
In a new survey, 82 per cent of TECT Catholic-teacher members polled reported that there had been at least one threatened, attempted, or actual incident of violence against a teacher(s), either experienced or observed, in their school this school year, and 64 per cent have personally experienced a threatened, attempted, or actual physical assault.
Toronto Catholic teachers have seen the negative impact of the growing teacher shortage on student learning firsthand in their classrooms. At a time when we need more teachers, recruitment and retention is made more difficult when nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of teachers within their first five years of teaching reported experiencing actual physical assault at least once a week, as well as weekly threats of physical assault (23 per cent) and weekly reported incidents of attempted assault (22 per cent) – nearly double the rate of other teachers.
“With these responses, is it any wonder that we have a growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis in Ontario?” asks TECT President Deborah Karam. “The levels of violence being perpetrated against teachers is unacceptable. Teachers enter this profession because they have a passion to make a difference for their students. They did not sign up to be punched in the head.”
Of those surveyed, 85 per cent felt that the main factor behind the rise in violence was the lack of teachers and education workers to support the growing number of students and their diverse learning needs. Almost every teacher (97 per cent) shared that violence in their school made classroom management more difficult and reduced the time for teaching and helping students (92 per cent).
“Our students deserve a teacher who is well supported to do their job. Many of the students we serve come from equity-deserving communities, as well as vulnerable homes – they need every ounce of attention and support their teacher can provide,” says Karam.
“Unfortunately, that is simply no longer the case. The constant disruptions to classrooms and student learning, as well as the physical and emotional toll on teachers and students alike, is making it very difficult to meet students’ needs. Much more needs to be done to address the root causes of the violence in our classrooms. But to start, we need to immediately and dramatically enhance mental health services in schools, and we need more professional supports, such as counsellors, social workers, educational assistants and child and youth workers.”
The teachers surveyed reported that the solutions with the most impact would be to:
- lower class sizes, by reducing the number of students in each class (91 per cent);
- increase the number of teachers and educational workers (90 per cent);
- ensure sufficient discipline/consequences for students committing violence in school/workplace (65 per cent) and
- provide more information and training to teachers (81 per cent).
“We once again call on the Ford Conservative government to recognize the severity of the violence taking place in classrooms and engage meaningfully with teachers to develop sustainable solutions,” says Karam. “This government needs to act immediately, to provide the investments necessary to address the violence and the shortage of teachers and education workers, and to properly fund the required programs and resources to support student mental health.”
By the Numbers
- 82 per cent report that there has been at least one threatened, attempted, or actual incident of violence against a teacher(s), experienced or observed, in their school in this school year.
- 64 per cent have personally experienced a threatened, attempted, or actual physical assault in this school year.
- Only 11 per cent of TECT members feel that their School Board recognizes that student violence is a problem.
- 22 per cent of teachers within their first five years of teaching, reported experiencing actual physical assault at least once a week.
- 97 per cent said student violence at their school makes classroom management more difficult.
- 92 per cent noted that student violence reduces the time they can dedicate to teaching and helping students.
- 54 percent said violent incidents increased from the previous school year.
- 47 per cent said that the severity of incidents increased from the previous school year.
- 61 per cent felt that their school administration recognizes that student violence is a problem.
- 62 per cent report having objects thrown at them (including desks and chairs).
- 58 per cent report being punched.
- 54 per cent report being kicked.
- 45 per cent who were physically assaulted reported experiencing physical harm.
- 91 per cent of those who experienced violence said the incident(s) were perpetrated by a student(s).
Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers (TECT) is a local unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association. TECT represents the 5,000 Catholic teachers that teach in elementary schools throughout the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
