Dear Editor: 
Violence is a pervasive problem in Ontario’s public elementary schools. In a recent survey, with almost 25,000 members of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) responding, 77 per cent said they had personally experienced violence or had witnessed violence against another staff member.
Students don’t come to school to have a hard day and certainly not to engage in violence. This problem is a symptom of the long-term under-funding of Ontario’s public education system, which has accelerated under the Ford government.
ETFO members aren’t just teachers and education workers in our schools. They are our neighbours and our friends. Too many of them are being injured or made ill by workplace violence. And too many students are struggling without the supports they need.
Lambton Kent ETFO calls on the Lambton Kent DSB to join us in advocating to the Ministry of Education and the provincial government to address the issue of violence in Ontario’s elementary schools, first and foremost by providing appropriate funding for the resources, supports, and staffing that are needed to support students who are struggling.
Tracie Booth
President, Lambton Kent Elementary Teachers’ Federation Of Ontario