|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S NEWS | SEARCH THE NEWSROOM | NEWS BY MINISTRY |
More Than 700 Parents, Teachers, Students Help Shape Recommendations
TORONTO, June 26 /CNW/ - More than 700 parents, teachers, students and
other community members from across Ontario provided input that has helped
shape a comprehensive new approach to school safety outlined in the Safe
Schools Action Team's report, said Minister of Education Sandra Pupatello
today.
"Our government made a commitment to review the Safe Schools Act," said
Pupatello. "That's why the Safe Schools Action Team was asked to listen to
what people from all across the province had to say about it."
As part of its review, the team conducted broad public consultations in
six communities, and in addition, received more than 100 written submissions
from organizations, school boards and individuals. Anyone who was not able to
attend one of these sessions had the opportunity to send their input in
writing.
"I'd like to thank the members of the Safe Schools Action Team for all
their hard work, dedication and commitment," added Pupatello. "Our government
believes that safety is a precondition for learning, and that every child and
every staff member has a right to feel safe at school."
The report, Safe Schools Policy and Practice: An Agenda for Action,
summarizes the results of that review and cites areas for taking action,
including prevention, progressive or graduated discipline, parent and
community involvement, and developing programs for students who have been
suspended or expelled.
"I'd like to thank everyone who took part in these consultations,
submitted ideas and contributed to the report," said Liz Sandals, Safe Schools
Action Team Chair and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Government
Services. "We believe it provides a concise overview of the opinions expressed
by Ontarians on the Safe Schools Act and strategies to address school and
community safety."
"Every student is entitled to a safe and caring learning environment,"
said Pupatello. "That's why we have introduced a comprehensive Safe Schools
Strategy to ensure our students and teachers can focus on learning and
teaching."
The government will study the action team's recommendations over the
summer and develop a response for the fall. The report is posted on the
ministry's website.
<<
Disponible en français
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
>>
Backgrounder
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAKING ONTARIO'S SCHOOLS SAFER
Review of the Safe Schools Act
The Safe Schools Act was introduced in 2000 by the previous government.
At that time, it was determined that a review of the act would take place
after five years of implementation.
Since the act was implemented, a variety of concerns have been raised
about it.
The McGuinty government committed to reviewing the act to respond to
those concerns raised by parents, educators, community groups and residents of
communities across Ontario. The review is also part of the government's
overall safe schools action plan.
As part of the review, the government's Safe Schools Action Team visited
communities across Ontario to examine school safety and the impact of the Safe
Schools Act.
A discussion guide was used that provided background on the act. The
consultations took place in Ottawa, London, Toronto, Sudbury and Thunder Bay,
and participants exchanged ideas in more than 100 round table discussion
groups.
The review focused on a number of topics, including the following:
Consistency
------------
Data indicates that the Safe Schools Act is not being consistently
applied across Ontario. The rate of suspensions and expulsions varies widely.
Some school boards in Ontario reported a suspension rate of 0.5% in 2003-04,
while other boards reported suspension rates above 36%. There was less
variation in expulsion rates. Some school boards reported no expulsions, while
others reported expulsion rates of 2.3%.
Fairness
--------
Some groups are seen to be more likely to be suspended or expelled than
others. A number of concerns have been raised that the legislation and related
discipline policies are having a disproportionate impact on racial minorities
and disabled students.
Methods of Discipline
---------------------
There is a perception that there should be more judgement to reduce the
number of suspensions and expulsions. Under the Safe Schools Act, teachers,
principals and school boards use their judgement in making decisions about
suspensions and expulsions. Some boards may apply the concept of progressive
or graduated discipline. When progressive discipline is used, students are
given a more significant consequence for unacceptable behaviour if the student
has been disciplined for the same behaviour previously within a reasonable
timeframe.
Prevention
----------
There is a perception that the Safe Schools Act focuses more on
discipline than on preventing behaviours leading to suspensions and
expulsions. More than 60% of students who are suspended change their behaviour
and are not suspended again or expelled. However, there is concern that not
enough is being done to prevent the behaviours that lead to suspension or
expulsion.
The consultations took place in November and December 2005. For those who
were unable to attend any of the scheduled consultations, there was an
opportunity to send comments to the action team either by mail or online up
until the end of January 2006.
Safe Schools Action Team
On December 14, 2004, the government announced the appointment of the
Safe Schools Action Team to advise on the development of a comprehensive and
coordinated approach to address physical and social safety issues in all
Ontario schools.
The action team released a report in November 2005 entitled, Shaping
Safer Schools: A Bullying Prevention Action Plan. The report made several
important recommendations on how to make Ontario's schools safer through
comprehensive, provincewide bullying prevention programs. It was based on
consultations across Ontario with educators, police, parents, students,
student advocates, youth and children's services workers, health care
professionals, existing bullying prevention groups and others.
<<
The members of the action team are:
- Liz Sandals, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Government
Services
- Dr. Debra Pepler, Professor of Psychology at York University and a
Senior Associate Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children
- Stu Auty, President of the Canadian Safe School Network
- Ray Hughes, National Education Coordinator, Fourth R Project, Centre
for Addiction and Mental Health, Centre for Prevention Science
- Dr. Inez Elliston, Member of the Board of Directors of Canadian Race
Relations Foundation
- Lynn Ziraldo, Executive Director of the Learning Disabilities
Association of Ontario - York Region, and Chair of the Minister's
Advisory Council on Special Education.
>>
Safe Schools Strategy
The Safe Schools Action Team is one part of the government's
comprehensive Safe Schools Strategy that includes:
<<
- A $3 million three-year partnership with Kids Help Phone to provide
anonymous counselling to students in Ontario who are dealing with
bullying issues, and is expected to benefit 30,000 more students
each year.
- A Bullying-Prevention Program in every publicly funded Ontario
school
- Bullying-prevention Training for Principals and Vice-Principals
- Bullying-prevention Training for Teachers
- School Climate Surveys to collect student, staff and parent
perspectives on school safety
- A Safe Schools Implementation Co-ordinator to help schools and
boards share best practices
- School-based Safe Schools Teams to help determine and assess their
local needs
- A Registry of Bullying-Prevention Programs on the Ministry of
Education website to assist schools in identifying resources to best
meet their needs
- A Safe Welcome Program to help staff better monitor school visitors
and limit points of access into schools
- School Safety Audits conducted across Ontario to help schools and
communities assess both the physical safety and the social climate
of their schools
>>
Disponible en français
<<
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
>>
-30-
For further information: Valérie Poulin, Minister's Office, (416) 325-2632; Tanya Blazina, Communications Branch, (416) 325-2746; Public Inquiries: (416) 325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514, TTY: 1-800-263-2892
Other news releases disseminated by this ministry
