New anti-bullying prevention and reporting Initiatives launched by PC-government

BY PAUL JUNOR

The issue of bullying has taken centre stage in the government’s newly revised Health and Physical Education curriculum for grades 1 to 8, which was launched last year. This updated curriculum (a modification of the previous HPE) by the previous Liberal government) made minor changes. There is an emphasis on cyberbullying, cyber security and privacy necessitates. The Ministry of Education is inaugurating new actions to further combat bullying in schools.

Bullying is a serious societal and social issue. It impacts the lives of many youth in this social media age. According to the Education Act, it is defined as “Aggressive behavior that is typically repeated over time. It is meant to cause harm, fear or distress or create a negative environment at school for another person. Bullying occurs in a situation where there is real or perceived power imbalance,” (www.Ontario,ca/laws/statute/90e02).

This definition encompasses different forms: Physical, verbal, social, written and electronic.

Electronic bullying or cyber-bullying is an issue that many young people are exposed to because of their increased screen time on social media. Cyber bullying is electronic communication that:

• Is used to upset, threaten or embarrass another person
• Uses email, cell phones, text messages and social media sites to threaten, harass, embarrass, socially exclude or damage reputations and friendships
• Includes put downs, insults and can also involve spreading rumours, sharing private information, photos or videos or threating to harm someone
• Is always aggressive and hurtful

Cyber-bullying is a serious issue. There have been several well-publicized youth who have committed suicide. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), approximately 29% of Ontario children reported being bullied at school in a 2011 study. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) 2017 Student and Parents Census Data revealed that almost 38% of high school girls, compared with 26% of boys, use social media 24/7.

The Minister of Education, Stephen Leece made the announcement of the new anti-bullying initiatives on November 27^th, 2019, which is intended to improve the safety and well-being of students. These steps include;

• The assignment of Christina Mitas to advise the Minister of Education on matters with a focus on bullying prevention
• A province-wide survey to better understand students’ experiences with bullying
• Training of educators in anti-bullying and de-escalation techniques
• A review of school reporting practices on bullying
• A review of the definition of bullying in ministry polices to ensure it reflects the realities of today

According to the Minister “We are taking action to root out bullying in our schools with one aim; keeping Ontario’s students safe. We are working to change the culture to one where everyone sees the inherent dignity and the value of a person, irrespective of their faith, heritage or orientation or race or their income, to build a more accepting and inclusive province.”        

In order to accomplish these steps, the government hopes to consult with diverse stakeholders who are interested in this issue across the province. It hopes to develop short-and long-term strategies to counter bullying among students. According to MPP Mitas, “We want kids impacted by bullying to reach out and for them to know that they are not alone. We will have an obligation to make sure that our schools are safe and inclusive places that foster learning while keeping the nurturing of the whole child in mind.”

There is much that the Ministry of Education hopes to get done to address cyberbullying.