Violence against staff in schools increases again

In just one year, acts of violence against support staff have increased by 41% in Quebec schools, according to data compiled by a union federation.

In 2023-2024, 13,464 incident reports were filed by employees who experienced violence at school, up from 9,550 the previous year.

The vast majority of these actions were committed by students (96%).

Physical violence – such as blows, bites or scratches – is present in 80% of reported events, while psychological violence and harassment represent around 20% of cases.

This report was obtained following a request for access to information made by the Fédération du personnel de support scolaire (FPSS-CSQ), to which 43 school service centers provided data.

Some have provided figures over a longer period, but they are difficult to compare since not all service centers have been compiling this data for more than two years.

The “tip of the iceberg”

This portrait could, however, only be “the tip of the iceberg” since approximately half of employees do not report acts of violence, according to recent surveys carried out by the union federation among its members.

“It’s worrying because it’s part of everyday life, when there should be zero tolerance,” says its president, Éric Pronovost, who deplores a “trivialization” of the situations experienced.

A special education technician (TES), who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, confirms this. “I see a lot of people who still minimize certain situations,” says the one we will call Mélanie.

Recently, one of her colleagues justified himself for not having denounced death threats made by a student by affirming “that he had just said that he wanted to kill (him), she laments.

Moreover, it is TES who are most often victims of violence, according to the incident reports obtained, with more than one in four people being victims.

Mélanie, who has around twenty years of experience in secondary school adaptation classes, has also noticed an increase in cases of violence. Recently, a colleague was beaten up by a student in the middle of class, she says.

“What do we have to protect ourselves, apart from going on sick leave? We want to work, but we put ourselves in danger all the time. I never know how my day will turn out,” laments the one who says that social networks and “parental carelessness” could be to blame.

At the FPSS-CSQ, we believe that the solution involves increasing resources for students. “It takes more people on the ground,” says Éric Pronovost, who is urging Quebec to act.

The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, launched a plan to combat violence in schools almost a year ago, the results of which are still awaited, deplores Mr. Pronovost. “For the staff who work in schools, it hasn’t changed anything,” he says.