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Reports by teachers' unions on
violence in classrooms risk
stigmatizing those with disabilities,
say parents
By JESSE WINTER StarMetro Vancouver
Sun., July 15, 2018
VANCOUVER—Parents of students with special needs say they are worried that tw-,v,
recent reports framing classroom violence as a workplace safety issue for teachers
could worsen the stigma around their children's disabilities.
The B.C. and Canadian teachers' federations both issued releases last week saying
in -school violence against teachers has gotten worse in recent years.
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7/16/2018 Reports by teachers' unions on violence in classrooms risk stigmatizing those with disabilities, say parents I The Star
Nicole Kaler poses for a photograph with her 17 -year-old daughter Maya
at the family's home in Surrey. Maya has a behaviour designation and is
non-verbal, which presents challenges for her inclusion in classroom
actives at school. Nicole worries that recent studies about aggressive
behaviour and "violence" in B.C. classrooms worsens an already -difficult
stigma that children like her daughter face. (JESSE WINTER / STAR
METRO)
In B.C. nine out of 10 teachers reported experiencing violence at work, according to
BCTF president Glen Hansman. That includes everything from having things
thrown at them, to being punched, spat on or bullied by students, Hansman said.
Nicole Kaler's 17 -year-old daughter, Maya, used to exhibit some of those
behaviours. She a and is non-verbal, and Kaler said she sometimes acts
out when she is frustrated, overwhelmed or left unsupported. But calling her
daughter's behaviour "violence" sends entirely the wrong message, she said.
"It's not that. It's a manifestation of her disability," said Kale, who lives in Surrey.
"It's a cry for help. They're trying to communicate. No one sees it as the desperation
from the child's point of view."
Hansman said the B.C. research shows that the majority of physically violent
incidents against teachers occurs in elementary and middle school, while most
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bullying and emotional violence against teachers happens in high school.
"Our kids are not bullying teachers. I don't care what anybody says," Kaler said.
"The teacher has all the power. The school has all the power. How could our kids, a
lot of whom don't even understand the situation they're in — how can they
possibly bully this huge machine?"
♦
the "violence" is coming from. It has also not released the total number of teachers
surveyed. That information is expected to be released in the fall, Hansman said.
Tracy Humphreys lives in Victoria and has three children, two of whom have special
needs. She said the issue of aggressive behaviour in schools is almost never one of
intentional violence. It results from a lack of support for all students, not just those
with special needs, and a lack of training and resources for teachers.
"I'd say that maybe 1 per cent oft s incidents is actually a kid being deliberately
violent versus 99 per cent of them being behaviours related to a whole host of
things," Humphreys said.
"The problem is that there are no solutions being offered by the province, by the
system, by the district," she added. "Staff are getting hurt because they don't have
the training, the understanding and the support that they need."
On this point, Humphreys, Kaler and both teachers' federations agree. The BCTF
of educational supports across the country in the past decade, and not enough
educational assistants and learning support teachers. I
Matthew Kloeble has experienced the impact of those shortages firsthand. Until
recently, he was a social development teacher in Surrey, working in a classroom
with up to eight children at the "extreme" end of the behavioural spectrum.
It's specialized work, Kloeble said, and requires forming a bond with his studenU�
that is critical tohelping them feel comfortable and supported.
Kloeble said the ongoing shortage of teachers across B.C. has left many special -
needs students bearing an extra burden. Earlier this spring, he switched to working
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as a learning support teacher, or LIST, in part because he was starting to burn out, he
said.
In his past role, if Kloeble had to take a sick day, for example, he could request
someone from a roster of substitute teachers that he knows, and who know his
students. But the teacher shortage has meant that most of those substitutes have
been hired into full-time positions elsewhere.
"So my absence would rarely get covered, so it means there will be a 'failure to fill'
and I have no idea who will be in," los le said.
That often means having a rotation of LSTs fill in for him throughout the day. They
might not be as highly trained in workin with special -needs students. In that case,
9
his students are left with someone they don't know, and the LST's students are also
sometimes left without their support person.
outbursts. Kloeble said he's seen everything from desks and chairs being flipped, to
scissors thrown at staff and other students.
"In most cases, it's that the student wants space and they don't know how to ask for
it. So they do things that communicate being overwhelmed," Kloeble said.
But none oft at is the student's fault, he said, and it can all be avoided if
appropriate supports are put in place.
"From my experience, oftentimes the situations that escalate to violence could be
prevented, if you have a staff that can be helpful on that kid, who can to them
somewhere and calm them down. But when things ares rea too thin, that student
doesn't have an out," he said.
The Star asked Education Minister Rob Fleming fora interview last week. He did
not provide one, but in a statement, the B.C. Ministry of Education said the safety of
teaching and support staff is a priority, and safety plans are required in schools
where teachers and support staff are dealing with children with extreme
behavioural problems.
But that's not good enough, Kloeble said, because safety plans are too reactionary.
It means waiting until there's been a violent incident instead of trying to prevent
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For Humphreys, it's also important to remember that teachers are not alone in
experiencing the impact of aggressive behaviour.
"Kids are experiencing 'violence' — if you want to use that term — and incidents
are just as under -reported as incidents against teachers," Humphreys said.
She also pointed to a recent Inclusion BC report that said the use of inappropria
physical restraints and seclusion of students with special needs continues to tak
place five years after the province promised to remedy the situation.
The fact that some teachers continue to do such things as pinning children against a
wall with beanbags, dragging them or putting them into tote boxes shows just how
much training and support are required to address behaviour issues in classrooms,
Humphreys said.
"No teacher, no EA goes to school expecting to hurt a kid. They also don't go
expecting to be hurt," Humphreys said. "The fact that we've lett ins get this bad,
that's on the province."
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Jesse Winter is an investigative reporter based in Vancouver. Follow him on Twitter: @jwlints
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Reports by teachers' unions on violence in classrooms risk stigmatizing those with disabilities, say parents I The Star
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