Peace Education and Safe Schools Legislation
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“Students
and school staff have a right to safe environments in which to learn and work” (www.etfo.ca, 2013).
When reading the material on the safe school legislation, these words jumped off the page. I am in complete agreement in that students and staff should feel safe to a place they come to almost every day. I believe that the government is trying to put an end to bullying, including cyber bullying, with their new and revised Bill 212. However, I believe that more drastic measures need to be taken. I feel that students are not being held accountable for their actions by the staff or their parents. For example, the “mitigating factors”; I do believe that some students do not have control and may be facing difficulties in their home lives, but not holding them accountable is not the answer. I think we underestimate how much of an effect bullying can have on an individual.
I believe we are focusing too much on how the disciplined student might feel and their rights, as opposed to the students being bullied. I also feel that there should be a wide variety of help in and outside of the school for students who are experiencing any type of bullying, because let’s face it folks, bullying happens a lot more than any of us will ever see. I feel that everyone gets bullied, one way or another. It is important to try and stop it, but there are way too many ways to bully someone. The focus should equally be applied to HOW TO DEAL with bullying if it is happening to you. Too many students have taken their lives because they did not know who to approach, and how to deal with their feelings. With the immense amount of social media in our world now, students need help more than ever.
When reading the material on the safe school legislation, these words jumped off the page. I am in complete agreement in that students and staff should feel safe to a place they come to almost every day. I believe that the government is trying to put an end to bullying, including cyber bullying, with their new and revised Bill 212. However, I believe that more drastic measures need to be taken. I feel that students are not being held accountable for their actions by the staff or their parents. For example, the “mitigating factors”; I do believe that some students do not have control and may be facing difficulties in their home lives, but not holding them accountable is not the answer. I think we underestimate how much of an effect bullying can have on an individual.
I believe we are focusing too much on how the disciplined student might feel and their rights, as opposed to the students being bullied. I also feel that there should be a wide variety of help in and outside of the school for students who are experiencing any type of bullying, because let’s face it folks, bullying happens a lot more than any of us will ever see. I feel that everyone gets bullied, one way or another. It is important to try and stop it, but there are way too many ways to bully someone. The focus should equally be applied to HOW TO DEAL with bullying if it is happening to you. Too many students have taken their lives because they did not know who to approach, and how to deal with their feelings. With the immense amount of social media in our world now, students need help more than ever.
References:
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. (2007, May). Bill 212: The education amendment act (Progressive discipline and school safety), 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.etfo.ca/Publications/BriefstoGovernmentAgencies/Bill%20212/Brief%20on%20Bill%20212%20May,%202007.pdf
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. (2013). Safe schools legislation: Bill 212. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from
http://www.etfo.ca/issuesineducation/safeschools/pages/default.aspx
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2012). Safe and accepting schools. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/safeschools.html
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. (2007, May). Bill 212: The education amendment act (Progressive discipline and school safety), 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.etfo.ca/Publications/BriefstoGovernmentAgencies/Bill%20212/Brief%20on%20Bill%20212%20May,%202007.pdf
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. (2013). Safe schools legislation: Bill 212. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from
http://www.etfo.ca/issuesineducation/safeschools/pages/default.aspx
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2012). Safe and accepting schools. Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/safeschools.html