Achi news desk-
A former education assistant is calling attention to the growing violence in Alberta classrooms.
Mandy Lamoureux is the president of Cupe Local 3550, a union representing approximately 3,000 educational support staff from the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB).
At the union’s most recent board meeting, Lamoureux donned the full personal protective equipment (PPE) she needed when working with students with complex needs.
“I would have to wear these arm guards to protect my skin from punctures when bitten,” he said. “I would also wear some gloves to protect my hands from bodily fluids, and I would wear a surgical gown to protect my clothes, because sometimes he would splash bodily fluids on me.
“And I would wear a face shield to protect my face from spit or punches, scratches or him trying to grab my face.”
Lamoureux said the union receives daily calls from educational assistants (EAs) who want better protection at work.
In 2023, the United Conservative Party created the classroom complexity grant, with $126 million over three years for public and private schools to support students with cognitive, social and emotional needs.
However, it is up to school boards to decide how that money is spent, and Lamoureaux said not all schools are willing or able to provide the necessary equipment.
“Each headteacher decides what is bought for their staff, and so some education assistants have asked for some PPE and they have not been able to access it, citing budget cuts,” he added.
‘It takes a toll’
According to Lamoureux, Edmonton public schools have seen an “astronomical” increase in violence.
Where incidents against staff used to happen once or twice a week, Lamoureux says staff are now dealing with attacks almost every day.
Records show staff being pinched, punched, kicked and headbutted. Concussions are a serious concern, he said, and some staff are on long-term disability due to student injuries.
“Not to mention the physical injuries only, the mental injury as well,” added Lamoureux. “It takes a toll on a person to be physically assaulted every day… It’s one time too many and staff talk about it happening all day.”
A log detailing acts of student violence at an Edmonton school, showing near-daily incidents including punching and biting. (Nicole Lampa/CTV News Edmonton)The violence also affects teachers and other children.
A recent survey by the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) found that one in two teachers has faced bullying or violence at school, and that half of teachers feel uncomfortable with their ability to reduce such conflicts.
“I spent a few hours with an educational assistant on the phone, because another student was choking another student, and she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to release the hold, and then she could have died. hands
“And that’s a serious concern. And so she’s traumatized by that,” Lamoureux said.
In Quebec, where Lamoureux previously worked, school boards employ specially trained education technicians who create individual safety plans for students with complex needs.
There is no such program in Alberta, but Lamoureux hopes to work with EPSB to bring something similar to local schools.
“When everyone is on the same page, and everyone understands why someone is having a behavior, it’s better to implement strategies to help that student regulate, and to eliminate the behavior,” he added.
In a statement, EPSB said engagement with Cupe 3550 and other groups was ongoing, but gave no other details.
“We continue to work together to take action, investigate and address concerns raised and support all staff in a safe working environment,” the statement read in part.
Early intervention
One mother, who cannot be identified to protect her child’s identity, said her six-year-old son with autism can be aggressive.
EA recently bit a school bus driver.
“I was called to school and told he would have been suspended if he had been older,” he said. “And I don’t think that’s a suitable punishment, if you even want to call it that, for a child who is six, non-verbal and autistic.”
While her son receives many forms of therapy outside of school, she wants to see educators empowered with the right tools and training to help her child, who doesn’t understand that biting is wrong. .
“It’s a safety issue, as well as helping to cope with everything that happens,” said the mother. “Some kids, if they don’t have these things early on, it gets worse as they get older.”
“The older they get, the harder it is to break a habit,” Lamoureux said.
According to Lamoureux, the Program Unit Funding (PUF) grant was used to support early education for children with developmental disabilities. However, funding was cut in 2020, eliminating eligibility for kindergarten-aged children.
“We are now seeing the result of that,” he added. “A lot of our events that we hear about from our schools are in Grade 2, 3, that’s where the program was cut a few years ago.”
Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the 2024 budget includes $26 million over three years to support enrollment in the PUF program, with $6 million for 2024-25.
In a statement to CTV News Edmonton, Nicolaides confirmed that funding would be available for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten age children.
Alberta was the fastest-growing province in Canada last year, and Nicolaides said the rate of growth has put pressure on schools.
“It is clear that we are seeing a convergence of many stressors emerging in the classroom and school environment: increasing class sizes, complex unsupported needs, a huge influx of unfunded new students, and growing mental health needs are going unsupported,” Support Our Alberta Students said in a statement.
Photograph shows a classroom after it was trashed by an aggressive student in 2022. (Photo: Mandy Lamoureux)
Nicolaides said he was aware of the “worrying trends” in aggressive behavior in schools, and had spoken to the ATA about the recent report.
“I am particularly interested in seeing what we can do to build the skills of our teachers and educational staff to de-escalate and diffuse complex issues,” Nicolaides said in a later statement. “I look forward to working together with the Alberta Teachers’ Association, school boards and other partners to find the right solutions.”
Lamoureaux said EPSB appeared to be open to supplying PPE for EAs. She is hopeful about that, but said more needs to be done soon to reduce the stress on schools and staff due to the increasing injuries, trauma and euphoria caused by the increasing violence in the school.
“It’s going to come to a point where someone is going to be seriously injured,” he added. “So we’re really concerned about this.
“If there’s no change now, it’s going to get so much worse, and we don’t want it to go to the extreme before it gets better.”
With files from CTV News Nicole Lampa Edmonton
