TORONTO: The Ontario government, teachers, parents and students must jointly fight against the growing violence in schools, the Royal Commission on Learning has been told.
Instead of expelling violent students for life or adopting the American example of police in school hallways, a “partnership” should be formed to reverse the trend toward violence, Stuart Auty, head of the Safe Schools Task Force, argued.
The task force, formed three years ago by Ontario teachers, school boards, social agencies and the police, is pushing for a province wide campaign to curb school violence, in particular the increasing use of guns and knives in schools.
Auty pointed to the drinking and driving and antismoking campaigns as examples where Ontario wide initiatives can be effective.
Task force members said they endorse zero tolerance for violence in schools but oppose expelling students for life a discipline allowed under a new Scarborough public school policy that takes effect Dec.1.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 19, 1993
