As incidents of violence the in the classroom have gone up, so too have teacher requests for protective gear.
“Most of what we see are arm and leg guards to prevent from biting, scratching and kicking,” says Jeff Pelich, vice-president of the Waterloo Region branch of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO).
The union says they’re seeing growing demand for protective equipment that can be worn under clothing.
“Teachers are asking for a variety of things to happen before we get to a point where protective equipment is worn,” says Pelich. “However, at times, where there are those violent situations we have those teachers who will say ‘I would feel more comfortable if there was something to keep me safe.’”
Officials with the school board say these are rare requests, usually made by educational assistants.
“For those people who we know are likely to be exposed to aggressive students,” says Nick Manning, the chief communications officer for the Waterloo Region District School Board.
The board started providing protective gear 7 years ago.
“One piece worn under clothing is made of a light foam with plastic inside,” says Manning.
According to ETFO, violence in the classroom has increased from 900 incidents reported two years ago to 1,300 in 2017.
The union doesn’t want teachers using the gear, saying it’s a temporary solution.
“It doesn’t stop the violence from happening,” says Pelich. “It just makes sure you’re not injured and we’d like to see something more happen where the violence is decreased.”
The union is asking the school board to hire more staff members.
