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Kicked, bitten, slapped. B.C. teachers say classroom violence is out of hand
The report cites more than 6,000 violent-incident reports and says 95% of teachers experienced classroom violence in the past year.
On Wednesday, the Greater Victoria Teachers' Association released a report documenting an average of 21 daily violent incidents against staff in the Greater Victoria School District.
The union attributes the trend to 25 years of systemic underfunding of special education supports, with 95 per cent of teachers reporting personal experience with violence in the last 12 months.
Teachers reported violence including "hitting, throwing table flipping," and 87 per cent of respondents said these incidents have intensified throughout their careers.
GVTA President Carolyn Howe urged immediate action, though both the Ministry of Education and Child Care and the school district stated they need more time to review the findings.
The report recommends that the province and school district provide "adequate alternative spaces" for students and develop a comprehensive plan to improve student-educator ratios and mental health support.