FACTS
- Teachers face risks of being struck by students, leading to injuries and psychological trauma.
- The threat of violence contributes to heightened stress and anxiety among educators.
- Violent incidents disrupt classroom activities, affecting the educational experience for all students.
- Fear of retaliation or lack of support may lead to underreporting of violent incidents, hindering effective interventions.
- Teachers may lack proper training to de-escalate violent situations, increasing the risk of harm.
- Lack of adequate counseling and support services for both students and teachers can exacerbate the problem.
- Inconsistent enforcement of policies addressing student violence can leave teachers vulnerable.
STATS
- In Canada, educational assistants face higher risks, with 75% reporting physical force used against them in the 2022–2023 school year; 89% of these assistants identify as female.
- In the 2022–2023 school year, 87% of education sector workers in Saskatchewan reported experiencing harassment, with 84% subjected to at least one act of physical force.
- In the USA during the 2020–2021 school year, 6% of public school teachers reported being threatened with injury by a student, while 4% reported being physically attacked.
- In the USA, female teachers reported higher incidences of threats and physical attacks compared to their male counterparts during the 2020–2021 school year.
- In Canada approximately 80% of teachers estimated that violence in schools had increased over their careers, indicating a growing concern in the educational environment.
- In the Edmonton Public School Board and Edmonton Catholic School District in Canada, there were 311 reported incidents of student violence against teachers in the 2016–2017 school year, including hitting, punching, and kicking.