CSS de la Rivière-du-Nord – Violence and resignations are a harsh reality for school support staff

Violence towards school support staff at the Centre de services scolaire (CSS) de la Rivière-du-Nord affects almost three (3) out of five (5) people when it involves physical violence, and more than five (5) out of ten (10) when it involves non-physical violence.

The CSS de la Rivière-du-Nord has also seen a significant number of school support staff resign over the past five (5) years.

This was a source of concern to Fédération du personnel de soutien scolaire (FPSS-CSQ) Vice-President Stéphane Soumis when he came to the St-Jérôme region as part of the FPSS-CSQ’s 25^th anniversary tour. He took the opportunity to meet with school support staff working at the CSS de la Rivière-du-Nord.

Violence in the schools

Students are the main source of these incidents which include shouting at staff (76%), being subjected to abusive language (65%), swearing or cursing (65%), having objects thrown at them (64%) and being hit (59%).

“We applaud the reaction of the CSS de la Rivière-du-Nord for being proactive in this matter. Over the past year, it has increased the number of hours for special education technicians in elementary, secondary and daycare classes. Acts of violence must be prevented and intervened quickly,” says Stéphanie Tremblay, Vice-President of the Syndicat du personnel de soutien en éducation de la Rivière-du-Nord (SPSERN-CSQ).

More than 2,563 school support staff in the Laurentides region have already resigned in the last five years

Over the past five years and into the current year, 2,563 school support staff have resigned from school service centers and school boards in the Laurentides region. There were 605 resignations from the CSS Rivière-du-Nord. These figures do not include retirements. The FPSS‑CSQ used access to information requests to obtain the figures.

Stéphane Soumis is deeply concerned about the situation, saying: “We are witnessing a major crisis in education. These mass resignations are having an impact on the workload of those who remain and on the quality of the services we offer.”

Why people are resigning

The reasons behind this wave of mass departures are varied, points out Ms. Tremblay. “People are less attracted to jobs in education. We have to find solutions so that they don’t leave the profession. Sometimes, it only requires a little flexibility on the part of the employer. For example, when a person needs a break to recharge, it is almost always refused, so these people need time for themselves when they are exhausted. Recognition also starts with understanding.”

She says this jeopardizes the quality of services offered to students. School support staff perform various tasks, from administrative management to facilities maintenance, to supporting students with special needs. Their contributions are often discreet, but they are fundamental.

“Losing people with experience and expertise is crucial. When people resign, new people need to be hired and trained to replace them. There is a significant cost associated with this, which the government needs to take into account.

The FPSS-CSQ is calling on the Education Minister to take urgent action to resolve this crisis. “Despite some gains in the new collective agreements, there are still many issues that require iMrsdiate action to preserve the integrity of our education system. School support staff remain deeply and constantly concerned about the lack of services to students,” insists Soumis. “Adequate recognition of their essential contribution is required; we are a decisive factor in education.”

More attractive jobs elsewhere

Stéphanie Tremblay points out that more attractive jobs are being offered by companies in the region. “Many of our members, whether secretaries, laborers or specialized educators, have resigned their positions to take jobs elsewhere, where they are assured of more working hours, a sometimes-lighter workload and often higher wages. Our school service centers are losing valuable expertise,” laments the SPSS-CSQ Vice-President.