Parents at west London public school 'desperate' amid escalating violence in classes

Parents at a west London elementary school have written to the top boss at the Thames Valley District School Board pleading for help after dozens of violent incidents have left some students scared to go to class. 

In a rare move, the school council at W. Sherwood Fox, located in Westmount, wrote a letter to director of education Mark Fisher imploring him to act as students are "regularly experiencing violent and traumatic incidents that impact the entire school population." 

A package with 30 additional letters written by students and parents, and detailing how daily violence affects their psychological well-being, was hand delivered to the school board office on May 1, addressed to Fisher and two school board trustees.

Fisher has not acknowledged getting the package and has not responded to the concerns outlined within, said Cindy Burfoot, the chair of the school council. 

"We're seeing aggressive and violent incidents growing in intensity and in frequency," Burfoot said. "It's escalating to the point where we're desperate to get help. It's very bad and very scary. We're seeing a lot of parents, myself included, scared to drop their kids off at school." 

In their letters, kids from Grades 1 to 8 detailed feeling anxiety and fear about school and frequent "Code Yellows". Also called "hold and secure," the protocols force students to remain in class until the threat of violence passes. 

The call for help from W. Sherwood Fox comes as the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario says three-quarters of its members report experiencing or witnessing violence against staff members. 

The survey of union members commissioned earlier this year found that 77 per cent of teachers have personally been subjected to violence or seen it against another member.

The survey also found that 43 per cent of ETFO members have had a physical injury, illness or psychological injury or illness as a result of workplace violence against them this school year.

At W. Sherwood Fox, there have been instances of kids throwing chairs and knocking over tables, ripping student artwork off the walls and wielding a baseball bat in the hallway, Burfoot said. None of the students — those who experience violent episodes nor those who witness it — are being well served, she added.

"There's a child in the hallway with a baseball bat, and you have a bunch of kids in Grade 1, 2 and 3 being told to sit and not look out the window at what is happening. These kids are seeing it. They're locked in their classroom," Burfoot said.

Sherwood Fox parents want the Thames Valley District School Board to provide counselling and mental health support for families affected by the ongoing violence and to send in specialized teams to assess what is going on in the school. 

"We have amazing teachers and staff," Burfoot said. "They're outstanding and we see how much they're going above and beyond to help all of the students, especially this year. Everyone has the right to a safe and quality education, and staff have the right to a safe learning environment." 

"These teams can come in and make recommendations for resources or tools that can be used to help those who need help" Burfoot said. "We've requested these teams but have been rejected."