Tag: school violence

Michael Zwaagstra: Parents Need More Information to Choose the Right School

Commentary Yes, it’s summertime. But many parents are already wondering how they’ll find the best school for their children to attend in September. Most students attend their local government public school. Some are enrolled in independent schools while still others are educated at home. Students in Alberta also have the option of attending a few…


TDSB Says 323 Students Involved in Violence so Far This School Year

The Toronto District School Board says more than 300 students have been involved in violence on school property so far this academic year. In a report on school safety, the TDSB says a total of 323 students have been involved in violence on school premises between September and April. The board—which is sharing the report…


Violence in California Schools Declines Sharply Over Past 2 Decades: UCLA Study

Violence in California schools has fallen sharply in the last two decades, according to a study by the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA), released March 30. For the study, researchers examined nearly two decades of survey results from the California Healthy Kids Survey, which is an annual questionnaire by the state’s education department given to…


The Link Between School Lunches and Violent Behavior

Commentary On a recent episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the comedian Bill Maher asked why physical assaults are so prevalent in the country’s public schools. In recent years, tales of brutal attacks on students and teachers have become more frequent. In fact,  according to a survey carried out last year, 10 percent of…


Michael Zwaagstra: Police Officer Programs Are Important for Student Safety

Commentary Police officers could soon be returning to Vancouver schools. That’s because Vancouver School Board trustees just voted to bring back a “reimagined” version of its School Liaison Officer program. This program had been abolished by the previous board of trustees. However, a significant increase in violent incidents involving students led to safety concerns in…


Violence Must Never Become Normalized in Schools

Commentary Saunders Secondary School in London, Ontario is home to approximately 2,000 students. It’s been in the news a lot lately, but not in a good way. A recent CBC story quoted an anonymous teacher who described Saunders as a “tinderbox of violence” where students regularly challenge teachers to fist fights after school. Over the…


Racially Sensitive ‘Restorative’ School Discipline Isn’t Behaving Very Well

News Analysis The fight outside North High School in Denver was about to turn more violent as one girl wrapped a bike chain around her fist to strike the other. Just before the attacker used the weapon, school staff arrived and restrained her, ending the fight but not the story. Most high schools would have…