Teachers in Nipissing District have made their case to the NDP who were in North Bay on a fact-finding mission on why the Ford government should not cut funding to education.
The teachers highlighted the problems they face including how larger class sizes will affect student learning.
However, what stood out was the violence that appears commonplace in schools nowadays.
Rob Hammond, who represents elementary teachers with the Near North District School Board, says the violence isn’t isolated to any board.
He says it’s a province-wide issue and teachers are getting caught in the crossfire.
The group told the New Democrats some teachers are off on long term disability because of PTSD.
Hammond says a common injury is when a teacher defends or tries to protect a student but in the process, the educator is also hit.
“Sometimes they just put their bodies between the kids and they’re the ones being struck,” Hammond says.
He says the more serious injuries occur when a teacher is knocked down.
“So you’re down on the ground and suddenly you’re more vulnerable,” Hammond said.
“They’re struck on the head and suffer concussions or concussion-related syndromes.”
Hammond says the teachers’ unions were working with the previous Liberal government to address this issue but with the Ford government planning cuts to the system, he’s not sure where this issue is now headed.
Asked why the level of violence has risen in schools and Hammond believes it’s because, good or bad, society has raised two generations of children who are not afraid of adults.
“The impact of being sent to the office anymore, there’s no fear in that,” he said.
“Just sending a kid home or suspending him isn’t necessarily the right answer because we’re looking at children who come from different backgrounds and who have different problems. “
Hammond says past methods of punishment no longer seem to work.
He believes what’s need is an examination of what’s “ramping up the kids”.
He adds knowing what problems they are experiencing may shed light on their behaviour.
“Maybe when we can understand that, maybe we can find some solutions to some of those troubles.”
The NDP hopes to raise these issues at Queen’s Park before MPPs break for the summer.
