Saturday, October 25, 2025
More

    Top 6 This Week

    popular+

    Mike Foley shares “School Violence is out of Control In Ontario Schools”.

    Sharing is SO MUCH APPRECIATED!

    It‘s really important not to see this as bad kids or demonize kids.

    This is truly structural violence. This is institutional violence. This is a failure to respond to needs that ends up being enacted like violence,” Prof. Bruckert says.

    Many teachers are leaving the profession because of the violence and harassment that they now face on a regular basis, says Heidi Yetman, president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, a not-for-profit organization that represents more than 370,000 elementary and secondary school teachers and education workers across the country “We have a huge retention and recruitment issue across the country,” she says. “The classroom is not a safe working space.” Violence in the classroom also affects students’ well-being and ability to learn, Ms. Yetman says. “Imagine being a student in a classroom that needs to be evacuated once every two weeks because of a specific student,” she says. “It has a great effect on learning. It has a great effect on the psyche of kids.” Schools lack the resources needed to support students who are having violent outbursts or who are dysregulated, Ms. Yetman says “We don’t have enough support staff.

    We don’t have enough psychologists. We don’t have enough counsellors,” she says. As violence in schools is on the rise, it is becoming normalized by teachers and students alike who see it as part of being in school, says Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, a union that represents more than 60,000 teachers and educational workers in the province.

    We don’t have enough support staff. We don’t have enough psychologists. We don’t have enough counsellors,” she says. As violence in schools is on the rise, it is becoming normalized by teachers and students alike who see it as part of being in school, says Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, a union that represents more than 60,000 teachers and educational workers in the province.

    Ms. Littlewood points to signs in doctors’ offices, post offices, and so many other places of business that violence, harassment and bullying will not be tolerated. “But in schools, we’re not supposed to say anything. We’re just supposed to take it and say everything is okay. But it‘s not okay. The kids are not okay, the schools are not okay, the working conditions are not okay,” she says.

    Sharing is SO MUCH APPRECIATED!
    Mike Foley
    Mike Foley
    A first-generation Canadian with Irish roots, Mike Foley was born in Quebec and relocated to Ontario in 1982. His professional journey includes nearly three decades (1990-2018) of service with The Ministry of Public Safety & Correctional Services, following his role as National Marketing Manager for an electronics manufacturer in Mississauga. Mike's dedication to public education is evident through his elected positions as Public School Trustee—first for the Upper Grand Board representing Guelph (2018), and currently for the Simcoe Board serving the Wasaga Beach and Collingwood communities following his family's relocation in 2022. With a strong commitment to environmental causes, Mike served on the board of WasteWise from 1999-2019, a community recycling organization that converted profits into scholarships and grants. Currently, he volunteers with the Race Crew at Alpine ski club.

    Popular Articles

    GEORGIANBAYNEWS.COM

    Popular Articles

    Time is running out to grab your tickets for Theatre Collingwood’s Early Bird Draw!

    Get your THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT raffle tickets by 11:59 PM tomorrow for a chance to win a $250 Prime Seven Nine Gift Certificates + Tickets for 2 for...

    Ask Gracelyn: What are the signs in a “Silent Divorce”?

    Signs You’re in a ‘Silent Divorce’ Are Loud and Clear A silent divorce isn’t marked by legal papers or public announcements. It’s a quiet unraveling...

    MIFF Red Carpet Gala | 2025 Meaford International Film Festival

    Thursday, September 18 7:00pm | $50 Step Into the Spotlight at the 2025 MIFF Red Carpet Gala – “Old Hollywood” Style. The red carpet is rolling...

    Seventh Annual See The Salmon Run

    A celebration of Silver Creek and the return of the Chinook Salmon to their spawning grounds. Saturday, September 21 · 10am - 2pm  609830 Side...

    Love Wins with the Collingwood Pride Festival 2024

    The Rainbow Club of South Georgian Bay (Rainbow Club) is proud to officially announce the return of the Collingwood Pride Festival to Collingwood, Ontario. Collingwood Pride will be a festival and...

    Hardworking Crews addressing Local Flooding from Rains and Snow Melt and Ensuring Developments Do their Part

    Collingwood, along with many areas of the province, has been dealing with rain, freezing rain, snow and snow melt over the past week. Our...

    Ally Vitally: The Revolutionary LLaMA 3.1: A New Era of AI

    A team of brilliant engineers at Meta AI has unveiled a groundbreaking innovation: LLaMA 3.1. This cutting-edge language model is transforming the way humans...

    Mudmen at Shipyard Amphitheatre | July 19th

    Enjoy an evening of Celtic Music & stories from Canada's Celtic Rock Warriors Friday, July 19 at 8 PM - Free show BYOLC or sit...

    Why Most Pickleball Coaching Is Wrong 🗣️ | Pickleball Connection Podcast

    In Episode 44 of The Pickleball Connection, Barrett and Danea sit down with legendary coach and educator Mark Renneson to explore the future of...

    The Ambassador shares “Trade Turmoil Shows need for New Internationalism”

    By David Suzuki Since the April federal election, Canada has found itself in unchartered terrain. The United States–instigated trade war against long-standing allies rages on,...

    Unlock Your Creativity: Two-Day Abstract Art Workshop with Miriam Traher

    Step into a vibrant world of colour, texture, and self-expression in this immersive two-day abstract art workshop! Day One is all about exploration. Through playful...

    Mercedes Chan: Recent World Events Focusing on AI: A Comprehensive Overview

    The world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evolving at an unprecedented pace, reshaping industries, economies, and even geopolitical landscapes. From groundbreaking technological advancements to...

    NEW HIT SONG – Releasing the Files (Trump’s Epstein Files Saga)

    Donald Trump struts, sings, and “drains the swamp” in a 1930s musical spectacular… with flappers, prison kicks, and the Epstein list. ⚠️ Satire. Show...

    ‘It is really awful!’: Rep. Crockett explains terrifying reality if Musk has federal funds access

    The New York Times reports that billionaire Elon Musk and his aides have access to the Treasury Department’s payment system. President Trump has also...

    The Art of Deception: Comparing State-Sponsored Misinformation in the USA and China

    A Deep Dive into Global Narratives and Their Implications In an era where information shapes global perceptions, the question of which country— the United States...

    VIDEO | Global Energy Market Disruption. This man has THE PLAN!!

    John, thank you for sharing my work on your websites - Dave Borlace (Just Have A Think) Global energy market disruption is desperately needed if...

    Navigating the Storm: Three Ways to Cope with Political Anxiety

    Navigating the Storm: Three Ways to Cope with Political Anxiety In today’s hyper-connected world, the relentless stream of news can often feel overwhelming, leaving many...

    OJHL, CCHL PAYING TRIBUTE TO NHL ALUMNI AT ‘BATTLE OF ONTARIO’ IN SMITHS FALLS NOV. 12-13

    Schedule released for 12-game All-Star, Prospects tournament October 16, 2024 ….  The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) will honour...

    Frankie Malloy and “Samson” seek loving family while sharing laughs #RESCUE

    Our resident chaos coordinator “Frankie Malloy” is staging another animal-pocalypse, and this time it’s going down on a Tuesday (because why should weekends have...

    THREE IMPAIRED DRIVERS IN LAST 24 HOURS

    The last 24 hours have been busy at Huronia West with general duties officers making three arrests for impaired driving. (Wasaga Beach, ON) - On the...

    New Councillor Appointed to Collingwood Council

    Collingwood, ON - Collingwood Council appoints Ian MacCulloch as the newest member of Council during the Special meeting held Thursday, March 20, 2025, filling...

    A portal to hell at an aluminum plant that swallowed up the entire shop in a matter of seconds.

    A hydraulic line on the extrusion press bursts, spraying high-pressure hydraulic fluid into the air. This atomized oil mist comes into contact with a...

    Industry Scandal: The Loss Of Nutrients | Corrupt Food Industry

    Industry Scandal: The Loss Of Nutrients - Sixty years of producing standardized fruit and vegetables and creating industrial hybrids have had a dramatic impact...

    We Are As Vulnerable As 9/11″ Says Ex-FBI Counterintel Head on Trump’s Destruction of the Bureau

    "Something bad will happen" - Former FBI Counterintelligence Chief Frank Figliuzzi sounds the alarm on Trump's gutting of the Bureau. Terror task forces and spy-catching...