The Quebec government is asking schools to dissect and address pressing episodes of violence and intimidation that are happening daily in hallways across the province. The first Violence and Bullying Prevention in Schools Week will take place from March 17 to 21 under the theme “Reinforcing Respect and Civility in our Schools.” The week is a step in the right direction, says John Ryan, the chair of the New Frontiers School Board council of commissioners. “If there is any benefit, we’ll take it,” he says, while offering the government the benefit of the doubt that such programming is coming out of real concern and not an attempt to politicize such a sensitive issue.
The fact the government is providing some of the material in English is certainly a sign that bullying and the short- and long-term impacts this can have on students are being taken seriously. That being said, the NFSB had to remind the government of its obligation to provide pedagogical material in both languages before being assured it was coming. There were already some criticisms over the last-minute imposition of week-long programming. It’s quite unfortunate that English schools will receive the information just one week before being expected to implement it, especially considering how important the subject has become.
Recent studies have shown that bullying dropped by between 25 and 50 per cent during the pandemic, as levels of socialization were limited by public health measures. But bullying bounced back as soon as things returned to normal, with most schools facing similar levels of violence and intimidation to 2019, when Statistics Canada reported that as many as seven out of ten youth said they experienced some form of bullying.
The 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth revealed that among those who are bullied, over 40 per cent said it was happening monthly or more frequently. Just under 60 per cent said they were being made fun of, called names, or insulted; while over one third said rumours about them had been spread by others. Over 30 per cent also said they were being excluded from activities. Since 2019, cyber bullying has also exploded, and while much of this takes place in spaces outside of school, the repercussions often spill over into the classroom.
As one parent pointed out during one of the NFSB’s recent public consultations on bullying, children have the right to feel safe at school. The fact that so many do not is a problem. Hopefully the discussions that are about to take place in area schools will, at a minimum, raise awareness among parents, school staff, and students themselves. With the issue out in the open, real discussions can begin on addressing the root causes of bullying in our schools.
Sarah Rennie