Violence by students – and sometimes parents – against school staff is an issue we’ve been hearing more and more about in recent months, and that’s a good thing.
In recent years, there has been a spike in incidents reported by members of the school support sector of the FEESP-CSN, which represents 35,000 support workers working in schools across Quebec.
Many people affected
You may be wondering who are school companions? It’s the school secretary who calls you when your child is sick. The day care worker looks after your child before and after class.
During breaks and lunch breaks, the student supervisor will ensure your child’s safety. It is the special education teacher who accompanies your child who faces special challenges in the classroom. The caretaker ensures that your child’s learning space is clean.
School counselors are represented in 81 professional groups that provide a living environment conducive to your child’s learning. And none of these people are spared from acts of violence committed by students and sometimes by their parents.
No new problem
In 2018, ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic and as part of previous public sector collective bargaining, a consultation tour of our members was conducted in all regions to identify our union demands.
The issue of violence suffered by aid workers at the hands of students was already one of the important issues raised. That’s over five years ago. So the problem has been recognized for a long time and that’s why we’ve made it a priority. Since then, we have relentlessly sounded the alarm for government and our employers to take this issue into account.
Government needs to do a better job of “healing” our working conditions and the violence that is unfortunately a part of it. We have to take action. Acts of violence against school supervisors must be downplayed. It is also necessary to ensure that the employees concerned are involved in the development and implementation of solutions to contain this scourge, especially in the context where the phenomenon seems to be gaining momentum.
The ongoing negotiations in the public sector are an opportunity for action.
Photo provided by Audrey Larouche
Audrey Larouche, Vice-President of the Main Union of Quebec School Support Workers (Federation of Public Service Employees (FEESP-CSN) School Support Services Sector)
