An Aurora teacher said she and her colleagues are in “survival mode,” amid a spike in violence in classrooms.
Anne Harrison, who has worked at a school in Oak Ridges for more than 20 years, said she has had to evacuate her classroom six times since September because of violent incidents.
“We've got support staff that have to wear face shields because they're being spit on by students,” said Harrison. “It's just out of control.”
Harrison said the problem has worsened since the pandemic, particularly with primary aged students, from kindergarten to Grade 4. Harrison said as well as violent behaviour, she’s noticed students struggle in social situations and seem unable to “self-regulate.”
“It's difficult in teaching right now,” she said. “It's a tough job, mentally, physically, emotionally. I've been a teacher for 25 years and I've never seen anything like it.”
Another Aurora teacher Valerie Taylor, who works at a school in Richmond Hill, said the pandemic caused “unique” challenges for teachers and students alike.
“We're talking about a generation probably developing a lot more challenging situations like anxiety and depression at an earlier age as well,” she said. “Teachers are not equipped to be counsellors, neither should they. So there are increasing mental health challenges for schools, I think now than there used to be.
“Anytime a student doesn't feel like they're able to handle the demands of the classroom, that's when you start seeing kids lashing out and not having the self-esteem and confidence that you wish that they could have,” she added.
Taylor retired from full-time teaching in 2021, but returned as a supply teacher later that year amid staffing shortages. However the challenges are making her reflect.
“Teaching is enjoyable to me when I'm there, but having the element of not knowing what to expect when you get there with some of these children who - let's face it, can make your make or break your day - there are certain classrooms that I don't want to be in anymore,” she said.
Incidents on the rise
Schools in Aurora and Newmarket have seen an uptick in reports of violence by teachers since the pandemic, according to numbers from the York Region District School Board.
There were 158 incidents during the 2019-20 school year. In 139 of those no treatment was required, with less than 20 requiring first aid and less than 10 seeking medical attention.
While the latter portion of that school year some classrooms shut down due to COVID-19, the number of incidents dropped in the 2020-21 school year to 59, and was also lower in 2021-22, when there 129 incidents.
But in the 2022-23 school year, the number of incidents jumped up to 233, with less than 25 seeing first aid treatment and less than 10 seeking medical attention.
In the 2023-24 school year, the numbers dipped slightly, with 212 reports of workplace violence, with less than 20 requiring first aid. In less less than did those involved seek medical attention.
Teachers across the province are grappling with similar issues.
Across the 75 per cent of members report more incidents of violence since they began working in Ontario schools, according to a survey of more than 6,500 educators, done by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.
Thirty-one per cent report having personally had physical force used against them, according to the survey, which was released in June 2024.
Additionally, 69 per cent of respondents said the number of incidents of violence against teachers and education workers has increased since before March 2020.
“The alarming results of our survey highlight a disturbing reality: violence in Ontario schools is not just a rare occurrence, but a growing threat to the safety and well-being of staff and students alike,” president of the provincial teachers union Karen Littlewood said in a news release.
Female teachers are also more likely to be impacted by violence in the classroom. The survey reported that 35 per cent of female members personally experienced physical force compared to 20 per cent of males.
Those numbers double for educational assistants, with 75 per cent saying they had physical force used against them in the 2022-2023 school year — 89 per cent of educational assistants are female.
Other school boards are reporting the incidents are having an impact on students. In its 2023-24 school climate survey, the Simcoe County District School Board found that one in four elementary students and one in three high school students within the public board don’t feel safe at school, which was up from the results from the previous year.
In YRDSB’s 2022-23 2023 Every Student Counts Survey, 17 per cent of students across YRDSB disagreed or strongly disagreed when asked if they feel safe in schools.
Although when asked whether they feel unsafe in specific areas of the school, nearly a third of high school students who responded to the survey felt unsafe in school washrooms.
What’s being done?
Harrison said she has seen several support staff colleagues at her school go on leave of absences due to injuries or stress.
She added that the problem is exacerbated by a lack of disciplinary action for students.
“Kids are basically learning that they can get away with it, and nothing really too bad is going to happen,” she said. “I'm not suggesting corporal punishment or anything, but kids are getting the message that, if I blow up and I hit somebody, I'll go to the office for a couple of hours and then I'll be sent back to class and then it's done.”
A YRDSB spokesperson said it is working to “continue to build capacity in de-escalation strategies for all staff.”
“This includes compliance training and onboarding training for all new staff,” the spokesperson added in an email. “We are also continuing to conduct professional training on building safe and inclusive spaces.”
Taylor said she wanted to see teachers work more closely with parents to help manage issues, but both Harrison and Taylor said they did not what a long-term solution would be.
“All I know is that if I had to speak for many teachers, including myself, daily we're just in survival mode,” added Harrison.