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KSB in crisis, teachers say

Violence rising, standards falling

JANE GEORGE

The Kativik School Board is in crisis, say teachers from every community in Nunavik.

Violence between students and towards teachers is rising, while educational standards for students and teachers are falling: it’s intolerable, say teachers.

Last week, community representatives from the teachers’ union, the Association of Northern Quebec Teachers, held a teleconference where they discussed the escalating levels of violence and disorganization in the school system.

Among the larger issues raised:

• Increased hiring of non-licensed teachers;
• Standardization of the school calendar, which meant that this year in Kuujjuaq the opening of school coincided with the Aqpik Jam;

Those participating in the tele-meeting offered anecdotes about:

• Teachers in one community drinking dirty waste water, without being told by school administrators that there was a problem with the water;
• Students stabbing teachers;
• Teachers forced to attend KSB parenting courses;
• Teachers asked not to fail students;
• Violent students brought back into class the same day;
• Teachers asked to directly contact parents concerning a child’s violent behaviour, against the union’s recommendation.

About a year after closing due to violence in the school, Sautjuit School in Kangirsuk closed earlier this month, after a new wave of violent incidents, while the KSB sent in a team to assist.

The school was closed for six days, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6.

KSB spokesperson Debbie Astroff confirmed that staff from the KSB’s educational services department met with the teachers during this time to discuss “the implementation of board-wide disciplinary measures” and the school’s local code-of-conduct.

The school had been without a principal this year, until Eva Deer from Quaqtaq was brought in. Deer will stay on until a permanent replacement is found.

Patrick d’Astous, union president, said he hoped to approach Nunavik leaders this week at Quebec’s socio-economic forum in Mashteuiatsh and talk to them about the growing problems in the region’s schools.

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