Anti-bullying bill aims to make Ontario schools safer

[mentalfloss]

Anti-bullying bill aims to make Ontario schools safer

Premier Dalton McGuinty says the Liberal government will introduce new anti-bullying legislation aimed at making it safer for students in Ontario high schools.

McGuinty talked about bullying during a visit with teachers and students at L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute in Toronto on Wednesday morning.

McGuinty says the new legislation is aimed at making schools safer and more accepting.

Ontario students "need to feel safe, secure and free to be who they are in our schools," McGuinty said in a news release. "Too many of our kids are being bullied and we all need to do more than just tell them it gets better — we need to work together to make it better now."

The bill proposes tougher consequences — including expulsion — for bullying and hate-motivated actions.

It requires all schools to support students who want to lead activities that promote understanding, acceptance and respect for all. It also requires school boards to develop policies and guidelines that include greater support systems for students.

Last month, Jamie Hubley, a 15-year-old Ottawa teen, committed suicide. His father said the teen was constantly bullied throughout elementary and high school because he was gay.

A national survey released earlier this year found that 64 per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) students and 61 per cent of students with LGBTQ parents, feel unsafe at school.

McGuinty also released a video — It Gets Better — that encourages students, teachers, parents and community members to do their part to help end bullying and intolerance.


Anti-bullying bill aims to make Ontario schools safer - Ottawa - CBC News

 

[TenPenny]

It requires all schools to support students who want to lead activities that promote understanding, acceptance and respect for all. It also requires school boards to develop policies and guidelines that include greater support systems for students.

Will that apply to Catholic schools?

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I know the TDSB currently has anti-bullying policies at least at my son's school (elementary). I am not sure what extra is needed from a law perspective.

While I do not condone bullying and was bullied myself as a kid, I think we are raising some kids who may lack the toughness developed by our childhood experiences when they head out into the real world. Also fear misuse. Calling somebody a bully when all they did was call you a bad name could get the caller expelled.

On the other hand what happened to the kid from Ottawa was tragic.

 

[mentalfloss]

I know the TDSB currently has anti-bullying policies at least at my son's school (elementary). I am not sure what extra is needed from a law perspective.

While I do not condone bullying and was bullied myself as a kid, I think we are raising some kids who may lack the toughness developed by our childhood experiences when they head out into the real world. Also fear misuse. Calling somebody a bully when all they did was call you a bad name could get the caller expelled.

On the other hand what happened to the kid from Ottawa was tragic.

Yea.

I really don't know what to make of this. I try to be a social libertarian, but bullying does need just punishment.

 

[lone wolf]

Start by applying it at home. All one has to do is watch the Parliamentary Channel to see bullying at its finest.

 

[Cliffy]

Start by applying it at home. All one has to do is watch the Parliamentary Channel to see bullying at its finest.

Yes, if parliament were held in a school yard, the kids would probably run them off the grounds.

 

[CDNBear]

There's already provisions in the Safe Schools Act.

The problem isn't a lack of legislation, it's a lack of even handed, commonsense application.

 

[TenPenny]

There's already provisions in the Safe Schools Act.

The problem isn't a lack of legislation, it's a lack of even handed, commonsense application.

Exactly the same reasoning that makes us need a law against 'hand held electronic devices', when we already have laws about driving without due care. We seem to need a specific law against every possible specific thing.

 

[WLDB]

I left high school about five years ago. I think the rules they had in place were good enough. The problem was getting people to tell teachers or administration about the bullying. A lot of kids are afraid of telling for fear of either being percieved as weak or retaliation from the kid they`re reporting.

 

[mentalfloss]

Doug Ford suggests schools explore UFC-linked program

Councillor Doug Ford’s office has suggested Toronto schools look into a community service program backed by the violent mixed martial arts league, Ultimate Fighting Championship.

In an email obtained by the Star, Ford’s constituency assistant, Anna Vescio, asked a Toronto District School Board trustee to circulate a brochure touting an initiative called UFC Community Works.

According to the brochure, the program promotes “the development of discipline, respect, teamwork, honesty, time management and physical fitness” through mixed martial arts training and meetings with UFC fighters.

UFC has become notorious for its brutal, bloody, no-holds barred fighting. Mixed martial arts events were banned in Ontario until this year.

The email was sent Thursday, one day after Premier Dalton McGuinty announced bold new anti-bullying legislation that seeks to curb aggressive behaviour in Ontario schools. Some TDSB trustees were left questioning the sense of proposing a program backed by UFC.

“I think it’s a terrible idea,” said Pamela Gough, TDSB trustee for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. “Schools are all about peacemaking right now . . . we don’t want to promote violence, we don’t want to promote fighting.”

The proposal also follows last month’s controversy at Earl Beatty Public School, in the city’s east end, where hard balls — tennis ball included — were banned from the schoolyard after they were deemed too dangerous.

TDSB chair Chris Bolton, who heard about the email Saturday morning, found the proposal at odds with the school board’s stance on violence.

“It’s not exactly the kind of thing we’re promoting, whether it’s for community work or not,” he said. “We really have a question about the promotion of violence or fighting as a way to enter into community service.”

The school board’s goal, he said, is to reduce violence.


In an email to TDSB trustees early Saturday morning, Chris Glover, trustee for Etobicoke Centre, stressed that he adamantly voiced his disapproval to Ford’s office: “I have responded that I will not be promoting fighting in our schools under any circumstances,” he wrote.

“We have all kinds of initiatives to prevent fighting in our schools . . . to teach kids how to resolve conflicts without fighting,” he said in an interview. “[Mixed martial arts training] speaks against the goals of public education.”

In April, UFC Community Works launched a $129,000 program to purchase mixed martial arts equipment for at-risk youth at the Cabbagetown Youth Centre.

Glover also took issue with UFC’s stated intent to promote its brand through community service. The brochure says UFC Community Works will allow UFC to “promote our brand at a grassroots level.”

“We don’t send (children) to school to sell them advertising,” Glover said in an interview. “I don’t think parents would be very happy if we were promoting the UFC in our schools and using our schools as an advertising venue for them.”

Reached by phone, Doug Ford declined to comment, citing Mayor Rob Ford’s policy of not talking to the Star.

Toronto News: Doug Ford suggests schools explore UFC-linked program - thestar.com

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I think that program would work well. My son (10) and his friends are completely into WWE and UFC. If those stars came out and said something, they may actually listen.


and ...

Reached by phone, Doug Ford declined to comment, citing Mayor Rob Ford’s policy of not talking to the Star.

HA HA!

 

[WLDB]

Will that apply to Catholic schools?

I read an article in the Ottawa Citizen at work the other day saying it does.

 

[petros]

Bring back the strap!

 

[CDNBear]

Councillor Doug Ford’s office has suggested Toronto schools look into a community service program backed by the violent mixed martial arts league, Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Every time I think he couldn't do something more stupid, he does.

 

[WLDB]

Every time I think he couldn't do something more stupid, he does.

And we're not even halfway through the show yet. I cant wait to see what happens next week!

 

[petros]

When I was a kid they taught us how to fight wearing skates all paid for with tax money and a few bucks from my folks.

 

[mentalfloss]

Anti-bullying bill a front for ‘sex education’ agenda, group says

Some Christian and Jewish groups are denouncing Premier Dalton McGuinty’s anti-bullying legislation, calling it a front for his “radical sex education” agenda.

The Institute for Canadian Values held a news conference Tuesday morning, condemning the premier for a section of the new anti-bullying legislation that allows for all publicly funded school boards to “host gay clubs.”

The Institute’s president is Dr. Charles McVety, a politically savvy Evangelist who was against proposed changes to the provincial physical health and education curriculum last year. Those changes included discussing same-sex couples in Grade 3.

“We don’t understand why this keeps coming back,” McVety said.

But speaking in Windsor, McGuinty denounced the criticism.

“Are there gay children attending Catholic schools in Ontario? Yes. Are there gay teachers teaching in Catholic schools in Ontario? Yes,” McGuinty said.

“The purpose of our accepting schools act is to send a strong signal to all Ontarians, of all faiths and backgrounds, all places of origin, culture, ethnicities, in our province and our publicly funded schools — schools will be warm and accepting of all our children, regardless of their sexual orientation as well.”

The anti-bullying legislation, created after recent high profile youth suicides including that of gay Ottawa teen Jamie Hubley, was introduced by the Liberals last week.

“I fully expect Catholic kids will use the word gay,” said McGuinty. “I fully expect Catholic teachers will use the word gay and as a Catholic premier in Ontario, I am going to talk about gay kids.”

Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees sponsored the press conference at Queen’s Park and a handful of Tory MPPs were in attendance.

There is a time and place for everything, said Rondo Thomas, of the Evangelical Association, but there is no “time and place” in an 8-year-old’s mind to try to make them conceptualize something beyond “tying their shoes.”

“The anti-bullying legislation that Mr. McGuinty is proposing constitutes a violation of our religious freedoms that are guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and further to that, it violates the common law of separation of church and state,” he said. “Please erase this unnecessary clause and show Ontarians you really care and we will join you in the anti-bullying campaign.”

The backlash to introducing this bill could be “quite severe,” he added.

Jack Fonseca, of the Campaign Life Coalition, agreed, saying the premier is misguided in this section of the anti-bullying legislation.

“Catholic teaching, the Catholic church and Catholic schools teach love of God and love of neighbour and if that is taught that is the best defense for children — whether they are same-sex attracted or overweight, skinny or wear glasses … it doesn’t matter, that is the best defense.”

Fonseca said McGuinty wants to force Catholic schools to do something, regardless of what the bishops say. “That is a violation of Catholic rights in Ontario,” he said.

Fonseca also got personal. He said McGuinty, an Irish Catholic, was a convenient Catholic during election time when he is looking for votes.

But the Liberals shot back at the institute during question period.

"There is nothing “radical” making sure every student has the tools to succeed in school," said Education Minister Laurel Broten in question period. “The official opposition needs to be clear where they stand — there is no room for division.”

Canada News: Anti-bullying bill a front for 'sex education' agenda, group says

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Oh dear. A gay club. The world is ending.

 

[WLDB]

Catholics can still do what they like in their schools so long as they dont take public money.

This fellow is underestimating 8 year olds as well. I was having sexual thoughts by that age and I know I wasnt the only one.