Facing everything from punches and bites to sexual violence, Quebec’s support staff are calling on the new provincial government to address the growing problem of violence in schools. There were nearly 30,000 acts of violence in schools last year, according to a report by the Federation of School Support Staff, and that number has risen steadily for several years. “This is urgent in Quebec,” said the union president Éric Pronovost during a press briefing in Quebec City on Monday. Pronovost said that with punches, bites and thrown projectiles in elementary schools, staff are now being encouraged to buy protective gear, such as arm and leg guards. “We don’t need goalies in Quebec,” he said. In high schools, he said, the violence is more “insidious,” including sexual violence and threats against staff and their families. He is urging the PQ government to inject an additional $28 million into schools starting this fall. “I think there’s new money to be put into the school system,” he said. The ask comes on the heels of an announcement last week that the newly-formed government would add that amount to tackle homelessness in the province. The FPSS-CSQ is calling in particular for the government to hire more staff. With files from the Canadian Press
