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| TODAY'S NEWS | SEARCH THE NEWSROOM | NEWS BY MINISTRY |
Launches Public Review Of "Safe Schools Act", Consultations Across The
Province Underway
TORONTO, Nov. 23 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is reviewing the safe
schools provisions for the first time since the rules were enacted to assess
the effect they are having on the safety of Ontario schools, Education
Minister Gerard Kennedy said today.
"This is the first time a provincial picture of suspensions and
expulsions has been gathered and it supports the need for a public review,"
said Kennedy. "A fact-based perspective and public discussion will enable us
to make informed decisions about the impact of the Safe Schools Act and what
else needs to be done to protect student safety."
Data collected, verified and made public today by the Ministry of
Education shows that the act is not being consistently applied across the
province. Boards report an extremely large variance in the rates of
suspensions from 0.5% of students in one board to 36% of students in another.
The most recent data collected from the 2003-04 school year shows that
the vast majority of students, over 92 per cent, followed their schools code
of conduct and did not receive a suspension and over 99.9 per cent did not
receive an expulsion.
In 2003-04, 152,626 students (or 7.2% of the total student population)
were suspended. Of those:
- Over 65% were suspended only once
- Boys were more than three times more likely to be suspended than girls
- Northern and rural boards were more likely to have higher suspension
rates than urban boards
- 27,250, or 18% of suspended students were students with
exceptionalities* - accounting for 8.8% of all exceptional students
* An exceptional pupil is a pupil whose behavioural, communicational,
intellectual, physical or multiple exceptionalities are such that he or
she is considered to need placement in a special education program by a
committee.
In 2000-01, the year before the act was implemented under local rules,
113,778 students were suspended, and 106 students were reported expelled.
Suspensions and expulsions spiked in the first two years the act was
introduced and by the third year, in 2003-04, the number of suspended students
was 152,626 and the number of expelled students was 1,909. The most recent
trend in 2002 to 2003 shows a reduction of 8 per cent in the number of
suspensions.
Liz Sandals, Parliamentary Assistant to Minister of Community Safety and
Correctional Services Monte Kwinter, is leading the Action Team of safety
experts who are implementing the Safe Schools Action plan.
"Data shows that some groups, including boys and students with
exceptionalities may be impacted by the act in greater numbers than the rest
of the student population," said Sandals. "That's why we are pleased to be
adding Lynn Ziraldo and Dr. Inez Elliston, experts on school safety with
particular knowledge of special education and multiculturalism in education,
to our team."
The Safe Schools Act was introduced in 2000 and implemented in 2001-02 by
the previous government. At that time, it was determined that a review of the
act would take place after five years of implementation.
The McGuinty government committed to review the Safe Schools Act as part
of an overall safe schools action plan. The plan to date has resulted in the
elementary school Safe Welcome Program with security access devices, mandatory
bullying prevention programs for every school in the province and an
anti-bullying hotline. The next initiative will include a review of Justice
Robins' recommendations on the prevention of sexual misconduct in Ontario
schools.
As part of the overall review, the McGuinty government's Safe Schools
Action Team is holding public consultations in communities across Ontario. A
discussion paper, found at www.edu.gov.on.ca is being used as part of the
consultations.
Disponible en français.
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
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For further information: Amanda Alvaro, Minister's Office, (416) 325-2632, (416) 509-5696 (cell); Wilma Davis, Communications Branch, (416) 325-6730; Public Inquiries: (416) 325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514, TTY: 1-800-263-2892
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