C L A I R E C R O O K S , P H . D . , C . P S YC H.

SAFE SCHOOLS 5434S

SAFE SCHOOLS 5434S JAN-MARCH 2011

CLAIRE CROOKS CCROOKS@UWO.CAASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, CAMH CENTRE FOR PREVENTION SCIENCE

DEVELOPERS AND CONSULTANTSPETER JAFFE PROFESSOR, FACULTY OF EDUCATION

ACADEMIC DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & CHILDREN

RAY HUGHES NATIONAL COORDINATOR 4THRCENTRE FOR PREVENTION SCIENCE, CAMH

TA – KARA BROOKS KBROOKS5@UWO.CA

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SAFE SCHOOLS 5434Q

Course OutlineReadings

AssignmentsExpectations

INTRODUCTION TO VIOLENCE IN THE SCHOOLS

LECTURE 1 ~ JANUARY 4, 2011

WHY HAVE A SAFE SCHOOL COURSE?

WHY ELSE?

• Kids need to be safe to learn• Guaranteed under UN Convention on the Rights

of the Child• School board ethical and legal responsibilities• Internationally, our ranking is slipping

A MIND MAP

A graphic representation of a complex concept

through words and pictures that help define and

clarify connections, pathways and/or

relationships.

POINTS OF RESISTANCE

• Not my job “I didn’t go to teachers’ college to become a social worker”

• No time “I have limited time to cover the curriculum”

• No energy “I can’t solve all the world’s problems”

• No hope “I can’t make a difference”

Findings from the Health

Behaviour In School-Aged

Children Survey - 2002

• 1 in 7 Grade 9 & 10 students indicate that they don’t feel safe in school.

• 53% of Grade 9 students believe teachers care about students as individuals

• 60% agreed that teachers treat students with respect

• 54% said students treat each other with respect and fairness.

Elementary School Student Experiences of Bullying

• 6% of children, grades 1-8, admit bullying more than once in the past six weeks.

• Boys report more physical forms of bullying, while girls report more indirect forms, such as gossiping and excluding.

• Children 11-12 years old report bullying more than younger (9-10) or older (13-14) children.

• On surveys, 2% of children who bully others say they are also victims of bullying. In contrast, our schoolyard observations show that almost half of children who bully are targeted by others and vice versa.

Student Experiences of Bullying

Bullying Vicitimization

71% - no victimization in past few months 8-16% - victimized once or twice 2-4% - victimized once or twice a month 2-9% - victimized daily or weekly

Common Types of Bullying

• 57-81% - verbal/social bullying

• 39%-55% - sexual bullying

• 18%-43% - physical bullying

• 7%-18% - bullying based on racism

Newspaper Headlines:• Bullies cited in suicide: Joshua Melo

killed himself last Friday. His father blames bullying

• Internet played a part in teen's suicide

• Bullied to death: Friends, family grieve loss of sensitive teen

TVDSB RESPONSE: AN EXAMPLE OF A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

• Conducted system-wide audit to look at experiences of bullying

• Focus on understanding why youth do not report or seek help

• Adopted as a regular undertaking

PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percentage

This is a safeschool forstudents

I feel safe in theschool building

I feel safe onschool property

YES NO

RESPECT

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percentage

Students generallyfollow the schoolCode of Conduct

Studentsdemonstrate

respect for otherstudents

Studentsdemonstrate

respect for staff

YES NO

STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF AND ROLES IN BULLYING

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percentage

Believe they have arole in preventing

bullying

Have the skills andknowledge to intervenwhen bullying occurs

Know how to reportincidents of bullying

Can identify incidentsof bullying

YES NO

INCIDENTS OF BULLYING

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percentage

Sexually bullied

Socially bullied

Physically bullied

Verbally bullied

Daily Monthly Seldom/Never

BARRIERS TO REPORTING

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100Percentage

Not sure the incident isbullying

Believe school staff won'tdo anything about it

Think they can handle itthemselves

Bullying will only get worse ifreported

Do not want to be knownas a "rat"

Percentage of Students Selecting This Reason

STUDENT IDEAS FOR ADDRESSING BULLYING

0 10 20 30 40 50Percentage

Anonymous reporting hotline

Method at school to report

anonymously

Increased supervision at

school by staff

Increased student awareness

of impact of bullying

Have a trusted student group

to contact

Improve student skills to deal

with bullying

Percentage Selecting Effective

STUDENT BELIEFS ABOUT SAFE SCHOOLS STRATEGIES

0 10 20 30 40 50Percentage

Hall pass system

Anonymous reporting

Classroom discussions ontopic

Guest speakers on safeschools

Rewards for reportingincidents

Clear consequences forincidents

Camera security

Percentage Selecting Helpful

TVDSB SAFE SCHOOLS SURVEYCOMPARISON OF 2005-2008 RESULTS

Comparisons between the 2005 and 2008 survey items showed small changes – generally less than a tenth of a point on a 5 point scale (e.g., 3.3 to 3.4)

Increase (2005 to 2008) in student perception of safety, respect, role and knowledge (App H – pg 1-2)

Students reported greater feelings of safety in all school locations in 2008 compared to 2005 (pg 3)

TVDSB SAFE SCHOOLS SURVEY COMPARISON OF 2005-2008 RESULTS

Student reports of bullying increased 2005 to 2008 (pg 3) approximate 1% or less increase for ‘Daily’ bullying approximate 2% or less decrease for ‘Never’ bullied largest increase in bullying is ‘Over the Internet’

Increased likelihood of interventions (from 2005 to 2008) if a fellow student was being bullied (pg 4)

TVDSB ELEMENTARY SURVEY COMPARISON OF 2006-2009

RESULTS Student views of why bullying is not reported showed an overall

similar pattern or order of responses in 2009 as seen in 2006

In 2009 grades 4 to 6 students were: less likely to agree that staff will not do anything, that bullying

cannot be stopped and that complaints are not taken seriously more likely to agree that they are nervous to report on their

own and are embarrassed to have been bullied

In 2009 grades 7 to 8 students were: less likely to agree that bullying cannot be stopped, that they

do not want to be known as a rat and that bullying will get worse

more likely to agree that they can handle it on their own and that the report will not be kept anonymous

SAFE SCHOOLS CHANGES2006 – 2009

(AS A RESULT OF 2006 ELEMENTARY SURVEY)

School Action Plan Annual Reflection

Safe Schools CommitteeBullying Prevention

Ministry FundingBullying Prevention $$ per school

• Maintaining safe schools is a challenge 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week………

• The work is never done………………..

London Free Press - May 12, 2010 (Jennifer O’Brien)Visitors to a Facebook tribute page say he was a

victim of bullies at schoolSt Thomas -- The brutality of bullying has surfaced, with the

grieving family of a 13-year-old St. Thomas, Ont., boy directing memorial donations to an anti-bullying group. Bryten Brown -- who played baseball, enjoyed golfing and was in Grade 8 at Locke public school -- died Saturday. It was the day before Mother's Day. His devastated family mourned Bryten in an obituary that requested memorial donations be made to the London Anti-Bullying Coalition.

Officials with the Thames Valley District school board declined to comment on the Facebook group, the obituary request or discuss whether Bryten had been bullied.

BOYS’ DEATH RAISES SPECTRE OF BULLYING