Workplace Violence at Schools – Maintaining Safe Interactions: Setting Boundaries Stats and Facts

FACTS

1. Role Confusion: Blurred lines between teacher and friend can undermine authority and lead to disciplinary challenges.
2. Emotional Dependency: Overstepping boundaries may foster unhealthy emotional attachments, complicating professional judgment.
3. Allegations of Misconduct: Informal interactions can be misinterpreted, increasing the risk of accusations against educators.
4. Favouritism Perception: Excessive familiarity with certain students can lead to perceptions of favouritism, causing resentment among others.
5. Burnout: Lack of professional distance may result in emotional exhaustion, affecting teaching effectiveness.
6. Inconsistent Discipline: Without clear boundaries, enforcing rules uniformly becomes challenging, leading to classroom management issues.

STATS

• In Canada, a study found that 25.6% of teachers reported experiencing workplace violence, underscoring the need for clear professional boundaries to mitigate such incidents.
• In Canada, reports show that violent incidents in schools were twice as common following the spring 2020 COVID-19 shutdown, affecting primarily grades 5 to 9, emphasizing the need for clear boundaries to manage student behaviour.
• In Canadian workplaces, including schools, nearly three-quarters (71.4%) of survey respondents experienced some form of harassment or violence in the two years prior to the survey.
• The Ontario College of Teachers highlights the importance of maintaining professional boundaries to prevent misconduct and ensure a safe educational environment.
• WorkSafeBC reports a steady rise in workplace violence claims in K-12 schools, advocating for clear boundaries and reporting mechanisms to enhance safety.