STEPHEN RICCIO
PONTIAC Oct. 14, 2020
Forty-nine per cent of teachers within the Hauts-Bois-de-l’Outaouais School Service Centre (CSSHBO) have reported experiencing physical violence, according to a survey performed by the Hautes-Rivieres Teaching Staff Union (SPEHR).
The survey received anonymous responses from over 300 teachers from both the CSSHBO and the Pierre-Neveu School Service Centre (CSSPN), said SPEHR President Daniel Boisjoli.
Pontiac-area schools within the CSSHBO include . . .
École Poupore, École Saint-Pierre, École Notre Dame du Sacré-Coeur, École de l’Envolée, École Sainte-Anne and École Sainte-Marie.
Teachers were surveyed regarding experiencing physical violence, verbal or psychological violence, who was responsible for the violence and about their satisfaction with school management support.
In addition to nearly half of all CSSHBO teachers saying they experienced violence of a physical nature, 88 per cent said they have dealt with it on a verbal or psychological level. The respondents said that students were responsible for 98 per cent of the physical aggression and 87 per cent of the verbal or psychological abuse.
Boisjoli said in an email to THE EQUITY that these findings need to be addressed by the school service centre to create a safer work environment for teachers.
“School administrators and school service centre managers must invest the human and financial resources necessary to curb all forms of violence within their establishments regardless of the body of employment held.”
One statistic that stands out from the survey is that only 36-42 per cent of CSSHBO teachers were happy with their school’s response to them reporting these experiences compared to the 56 per cent of CSSPN teachers who were satisfied.
“School administrators must stop trivializing the physical, psychological or verbal violence suffered by teachers,” Boisjoli said. “When a report is made, serious and sustained steps must be taken by the administration to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and to support the teacher who is the victim.”
THE EQUITY reached out to the CSSHBO for comment but did not receive a response in time for print.
