CREATING SAFER SCHOOLS
 
Schools Acknowledging Safety Solutions by Youth
(SASSY) Conference Report

    Prepared by:
The Regional Multicultural Youth Council (RMYC)
Multicultural Youth Centre (MYC)
511 E. Victoria Avenue
Thunder Bay, Ontario
P7C 1A8

“Every student has a right to feel safe and to be safe in school, 
and on school grounds”  Ontario Government -2008 

			
November 20, 2008
(National Child Day)

				
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 	Cartoon: Ready For School							2
	
2.	Introduction, Background 							3

3.	Engaging Students – School Surveys	 					4

4.	Conference Planning								6

5.	The Conference – Morning Session						8

6.    	Afternoon Session									11

7.   	Small Group Workshops								11
	* 	Bullying									11
	*	Discrimination								13
	* 	Drugs										16
	* 	Violence									18

8.	Recommendations:									21
	*	Schools & Local School Boards						21
	*	Northern Nishnawbe Education Council			           35
	*	Aboriginal Communities 							38
	* 	Thunder Bay City Council 						38
	* 	Police Services, Thunder Bay, Nishnawbe Aski, OPP		42
	* 	Ministry of Education & Ontario Government				43
	*	Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities			44
	* 	Teachers Union								44
	* 	Ministry of Children and Youth Services				45
	* 	Ontario Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth			46
	* 	Indian and Northern  Affairs Canada					46
	*	Regional Multicultural Youth Council 					47

9. 	Concluding Comments								49

10. 	Newspaper Articles	
	
	* 	Acknowledgements					Inside Back cover- 

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CREATING SAFER SCHOOLS
 
“The best way to solve any problem is to remove its cause”–Martin Luther King Jr.
	
Introduction – Background:
.
The Regional Multicultural Youth Council (RMYC) wants more young people to get a good education for a better life and a brighter future.  Dropping out of school high jacks one’s future earning potential, reduces the chances of being successful in life, and making a meaningful contribution to the family, community and society. 

According to Statistics Canada and Corrections Canada reports, more than 80 per cent of young offenders have below grade10 education, and 65 per cent have less than grade 8.  Life of crime is more likely for school dropouts, and once caught in the cycle of crime, it is much harder to get away from negative lifestyles.

Staying in school and getting a good education opens doors to more opportunities and quality life. This enables children to break free from the cycle of poverty, and reduces the risk factors for youth being involved in criminal activities. Children are a product of what they inherit from family and the community. Education offers a chance to break free, and transform one’s life. It allows the individual to achieve his or her potential, and contribute to our economic growth and higher living standards.  Staying in school improves our quality of life, and enhances of safety and security.  

Growing incidents of crime and violence involving children and youth, and a need to feel safe prompted the RMYC to launch a Youth for Safer Communities Campaign. The fact that many young offenders are school dropouts was a concern, and the Youth Council wanted to study what is happening in schools. Staying in school is a strategy for youths to succeed in life, and help to create a better and safer world.

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Engaging Students - School Surveys:
	
In the fall of 2007, the Youth Council decided to involve students in Thunder Bay in a study about school safety. This was a youth-to-youth survey on student concerns pertaining to their safety at school. A team of RMYC officers, students, and youth volunteers from different backgrounds lead this initiative. 

The team developed a questionnaire to engage students in a study on what they wanted to learn about safety at school. A test run was done at St. Ignatius High School where Martin Zhang, the Youth Council President, attended grade 11.

Feedback from the completed questionnaires required revisions on some of the questions to make the responses less ambiguous. After the changes were made, a sample was sent to Mr. Rowan Seymour, Education Officer Lakehead Public Schools for review to meet the school board’s standards. Once approved, the process began to develop a marketing plan for the study.

An ideal opportunity to promote the survey was during the Youth Embracing Diversity in Education Conference.  The event was hosted by Lakehead Public Schools at the Airlane Travelodge Hotel on March 20, 2008.  Over eighty student leaders from different schools attended the forum organized to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The RMYC lead a workshop on: “What Students Can Do to Improve Race Relations in Schools”. Three members of the RMYC, Amal Abu-Bakare, Nefry Falla, and Martin Zhang were the facilitators. They used a video – “Peace is at the End of the Rainbow”, and leaflets about March 21, Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination for the presentation. They also handed out multicultural bows of black, red, white and yellow ribbons symbolizing the beauty of the human race united in harmony.

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The Youth Council promoted a Racial Incident Reporting Form developed by the RMYC to record complaints. This is designed to encourage students to report racially motivated incidents, and help schools to monitor what is going on among students.  A key aspect of the Form is that it seeks to empower victims by seeking their input on how they would like to see the problem resolved.   

A Safer School Survey Questionnaire was given out near the end of the workshop to introduce student leaders to the study the RMYC was going to conduct in schools.  Their role was to promote the survey, and get students to participate.  A majority of the participants wanted to do the survey right away.  By the end of the conference, over sixty completed questionnaires were handed in. Another forty-five were submitted from different schools afterwards.   

More surveys were completed during class presentations and in-class discussions at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, McKellar Park School, and Sir Winston Churchill High School.  Youths hanging out at the Multicultural Youth Centre were also surveyed on their concerns about safety at school. They were all asked to comment on what should be done to improve the learning environment.

From the responses, most of the students said that:

	*	They feel safe at school
	*	They feel safe taking the school bus	
	*	Teaches and staff treat them fairly

In regards to concerns about safety at school, the four top issues were:

	*	Bullying	
* 	Discrimination
	*	Drugs
	*	Violence	
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While students generally feel safe at school, an overwhelming majority said that not enough is being done to address the issues they were concerned about.  From the feed-back, the RMYC was keen to find out what the students wanted to see done to make their schools safer.  A request was sent to Lakehead Public Schools inquiring about hosting a students’ forum to discuss the survey results before year-end.

Conference Planning:

A special meeting was held at the Lakehead Public Schools’ offices on May 30, 2008 to discuss plans for a follow-up conference.  In attendance were: Mr. Terry Ellwood - Director of Education, Mr. Rowan Seymour - Education Officer, Ms. Robin Laye - Employee Relations Officer, and Mr. Bill Krezonoski--School; Principal, from the school board.  RMYC President - Martin Zhang, Vice President Co-ordination Eugene Lee, Past President (Summer Student Programs Co-ordinator)– Sasha Sky, Past President (Summer Student Fundraising Manager) - Pauline Fogarty, represented the Youth Council. Moffat Makuto, Multicultural Association of North-western Ontario’s volunteer Executive Director/Youth Advisor was also present.

We explained the need for follow-up forum, and appealed for support. The Lakehead Public School Board agreed to co-host the conference, and offered to arrange transportation for students to the venue. As the school year was ending, and students would be busy with final exams, June 24, the last full day of classes, became the only ideal date to host the event. 

The RMYC proposed holding the conference at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, and the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council offered full use of the school facilities. Using the school provided an ideal opportunity to build bridges by introducing non-Aboriginal students to a First Nations high school in the city.  	
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The Mandarin Restaurant, Safeway, and Tim Hortons offered to donate food and refreshments.  Resource people and guest speakers also donated their services.

The RMYC formed a conference team to plan the event.  A group of fifteen youths met weekly to plan the conference agenda, do research on the topics to be covered, and compile information for the resource kits. Questionnaires were developed to guide the discussions for each topic, and keep workshops on focus. 

The name “SASSY” (Schools Acknowledging Safety Solutions by Youth) was chosen as the theme to highlight the partnership between the youth and the school boards. This notion complimented the Ontario governments idea of ‘Student Engagement’—to involve students in their learning and social environment. 
	
The Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario (MANWO) staff provided technical guidance and office support.  MANWO also assisted with fundraising and training youth facilitators to lead the workshops, and gathered the background information on the Ontario government’s position on safe schools.

Invitations were hand-delivered to Ecole secondaire catholique de La Verendrye,  Lakehead Public Schools, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, and the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council, requesting that they select high school student delegates to attend the conference. To cut conference costs, only schools that sent delegates to the YEDE conference, and senior elementary schools with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board were invited.
			
The four boards of education were asked to send representatives to welcome the students, and share their expectations from the deliberations.  They were also asked to attend the reporting session at the end of the day, hear the workshop reports, and any recommendations from the students.
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The Conference – Morning Session:

The Conference Co-ordinator, RMYC past president, Sasha Sky opened the forum, and introduced the school board representatives.  Mrs. Deborah Massaro - Chair of Lakehead Public Schools, Mr. Rob Kruse – Superintendent of Education with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, and Mr. Greg Quachegan from Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School shared the podium to welcome remarks.

Next was Martin Zhang, RMYC president. He explained the goals and objectives of the forum, and gave an overview of the event and the anticipated outcomes.   To prepare for afternoon workshops, the students watched videos and listened to two guest speakers. The first video was a CBC documentary about Roosevelt Elementary School in British Columbia. It presented diverse students in classrooms today, and issues they bring to school.  

Key messages from the video were:	
-	Students from different backgrounds, and with behavioural problems, severe learning disabilities, physical and mental health issues and so forth 
-	Fetal alcohol syndrome--a common problem among children, and increasing numbers of students are on medications being dispensed at school
-	Many families are living in poverty, and the children go to school hungry
- 	Kids in dysfunctional families lack parental support, have no positive role models, are often neglected, and miss love and nurturing to feel wanted
-	Many youths-in-care live a hard life, and bring unique issues to school
- 	Many teachers are dedicated hard working educators, committed to teaching, inspiring, encouraging, and giving hope to students. 
-	We cannot quit on students if we want them to stay in school, make it in life, and break the cycle for the next generation.

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Mr. Reggie Arbor, Youth Worker with the William Creighton Youth Services elaborated on the video. He shared personal stories on how social conditions, family life, and lifestyles that put many kids at risk. Drugs and alcohol are addictive, and cause many social problems, including mental health issues for the unborn child.

The second video was a special CTV documentary titled “Unsafe to Teach”. This covered bullying and violence aimed directly at teachers. The content included:

- 	A National Workers Compensation Board Survey over the last ten years revealed that the number of incidents where teachers were violently hurt in schools, and hurt badly enough to miss time, jumped by 222 percent
-	A 2005 Canadian Teachers Federation Study showed that 35 percent of teachers witnessed the assault of another teacher at school.
- 	23% of teachers witnessed a parent assault, or physically intimidate a teacher
- 	46 percent saw a parent, or witnessed a parent verbally assault a teacher.
- 	Close to one-third of teachers quit teaching in the first five years due to violence-related stress
- 	One third of teachers who reported problems to administration say that the matter was never resolved.
-	Undermining teachers’ authority in class jeopardizes discipline at school.
-	Teachers are trained to teach, and need support workers and professional help for troubled kids so that they concentrate on doing their job.  
-	More counsellors are needed for students and parents. 

Mrs. Ellen Chambers Picard – President of the Lakehead Elementary Teachers Association, spoke about the changing profile of students, problems of discipline, and parents who are indifferent to their children.  This creates risk factors that affect how teachers relate to students, and their ability to concentrate on teaching.
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Afternoon Session - Small Group Workshops:

After lunch, students broke off into concurrent workshops on the four topics -Bullying, Discrimination, Drugs and Violence.  The sessions were youth-led, with exception of workshops on drugs and violence. RMYC members were paired with a Youth Worker and an Educator to provide professional explanation on the subjects.
							
A questionnaire was handed out at the beginning of each workshop. Getting students to write down answers anonymously, before the sessions, helped to prepare them for discussion. Many felt safe to disclose information they wanted to share.  When the brainstorming started, the youth were already primed, ready to comment on what they had written down.  

Each session was different.  Group dynamics changed with the topics.  Students were aware of the issues in their schools.  They shared personal experiences about what they had heard or seen, the drugs, fights, and racism. There were, however, some differences between school boards, and individual schools on what is being done to make a safer and more welcoming learning environment for all students.  

Examples given were:
*	Schools such as Westgate, have a Natural Helpers Program, others do not
*	Some elementary schools have peer mediation, and high schools have none. 
*	Catholic high schools have uniforms/public schools have informal dress codes
*	Some schools and buses have surveillance cameras, while others have none 
*	Catholic High Schools have Aboriginal counsellors, Public Schools do not.
* 	NNEC has Elders in their schools, other schools do not
*	Some schools have the Roots of Empathy program, others do not 
*	Public high schools have full-time counsellors, elementary schools do not

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Small Group Workshops - Summary of Responses:

A total of 120 questionnaires were completed during workshops. Another forty-five were sent in after the conference. More feedback came from focus groups at Fort William First Nation, Friendship Centre, Multicultural Youth Centre, and other venues the Youth Council had information booths during summer. Youths targeted were mostly students and dropouts between twelve and eighteen years of age.

Below are highlights from the survey, and deliberations from the workshop.

Bullying:  	Facilitated by Martin Zhang and Yohan Khan 

* 	Every student surveyed had seen other students being bullied at school.
*	69% had personal experiences of being bullied.
*	69% had seen teachers being bullied at school
*	Many students felt uncomfortable reporting bullying incidents because:
-	   they fear of being made fun of
-	   they are afraid of being bullied even more
-	   they are concern of having a big deal made out of it
-	   they see nothing being done about their complaint / report
-	   they do not wanting to be labeled as a “tattle tale”, 
-	   they are not aware of the option of reporting the problem
-	   they are not familiar with the complaint procedures 
*	Many students are aware of anti-bullying programs in their schools, but feel that they have not been very successful so far. 
* 	Current punishments i.e. detention and suspensions without much follow-up are not very effective.
* 	Cyber-bullying is a growing problem, and many students are not aware of what schools are doing to deal with the problem.
* 	Many students are aware of peers skipping clsses, or dropping out of school due to bullying.
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Suggestions to deal with Bullying:

It is generally believed that kids bully because they see others do it, enjoy the power and control of being stronger, and like the ‘cool’ feeling associated with it.  Others bully in self-defence, to enhance their self-image and status among peers, or to deal with personal issues such as family problems and social circumstances.
*	Kids who bully often learn it from parents or peers who do it, or are indifferent to bullying. Schools should organize counselling sessions for the students and parents/guardians, and provide on-going support to keep problems in check.
*	Teachers should take all forms of bullying seriously, including cyber-bullying. Students should be alerted about the problem when it occurs, and schools should remind students regularly to spot bullying and help to stop it. 
* 	Schools should train student monitors as peer supervisors to assist teachers in keeping the peace in class, hallways, schoolgrounds and on buses.
* 	Schools should develop peer mediation teams to bring students together, and let them talk things out, rather than fight to resolve problems.
* 	Have support groups at school to help victims and perpetrators of bullying to deal with issues in a reassuring manner, and exclude, or ignore the problem. 
* 	Victims of bullying should be consulted on how they want to see the matter resolved, and asked the supports they need to feel safe and comfortable.
* 	With increasing numbers of dysfunctional families, teachers should be trained to assume the role of ‘significant others’ in the lives of their students, and discuss any character development initiatives for social cohesion.
* 	Schools should engage students in reviewing the code of behaviour in regards to bullying, and the consequences. Punishments must be creative to facilitate learning and discourage perpetrators from doing same things over. 
* 	Teachers who are bullied by students should get the support they need from the school boards and their unions so that they can concentrate on teaching

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Discrimination:	Facilitated by Alison Bortolon and Madeline Barrett

* 	The 69% of students have felt discriminated in their school. 
* 	The general reasons for the discrimination experienced by students were: 
-	 	Race/culture
-	 	clothes
-	 	disability
-	 	gender
-	 	weight
-	 	family (i.e. traditional, single parent, gay parents/foster parents)
-	 	economic status (poor or wealthy)
-	 	sexuality / sexual orientation
-	 	accents (way of speaking/language barrier)
-	 	age/appearance/views, habits, hobbies,
-	 	intelligence / mental health issues
* 	Many students said that if they saw an ‘obvious’ act of discrimination, they would report it.  But, they were less inclined to report if they were the victims. 
* 	Those who would complain said they would go to the principal, vice, the main office, or a teacher. 
* 	Students who would not report, gave the following reasons:
-	 	they think it’s scary because it is too formal of a process
-	 	they do not get any encouragement and support to lodge complaints 
-	 	nothing is ever done about it
-	 	teachers do not take it seriously 
-	 	they will be picked on more, retaliation, and no one will protect them
-	 	they will be labelled whimpers, and ignored
-	 	they will get into trouble, or will be shunned for reporting schoolmates	*	The complaint process is not always well publicized and convenient enough for students to use.
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* 	A majority of students know someone who was involved in a fight, skipped school, or dropped out because of being discriminated against.  
* 	Racism was clearly the most common form of discrimination reported.
*	Many students are aware of what is being done at school to deal with discrimination–such as:
-		multicultural programs
-	 	class presentations
-	 	guest speakers talking about discrimination, why, and how it occurs
-	 	detentions  
- 		suspensions
*	Many students feel that the programs and activities are not effective because:
- 	Some of the teachers do not take the issues seriously
- 	Teachers are generally not well trained to deal with discrimination and to implement strategies that counter discrimination.
- 	There is a generation gap between teachers and students just as there is a generation gap between parents and their children.  It is important that teachers be trained to narrow this gap and learn to communicate better with students from different age groups, cultural and social backgrounds.
- 	Some teachers, due to their race, status, gender, background etc. cannot identify with victims of discrimination, and have a hard time comprehending what is going on with alienated, marginalized and racialized victims. 
*	Many students feel that schools are often reacting to symptoms of societal issues, and are not getting to the root of the problems to make a difference.
* 	When discrimination occurs, one’s feelings, self-esteem, self-confidence, pride, identity, and sense of belonging are affected.
*	It was interesting to observe that none of the high school students from the Catholic District School Board reported being discriminated against based on clothing. Obviously, school uniforms have eliminated this problem.
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Suggestions to deal with Discrimination:

Discrimination is often attributed to ignorance and fear of the unknown. Beliefs, stereotypes, prejudice, hatred, and jealousies learned through socialization or the media contribute to acts of discrimination. This creates barriers and exclusionary practices that deny some people same access to opportunities and resources others take for granted.  Racism fuels most of the discrimination mentioned by students.
*	Teachers need to be more aware of what is going on around them, and take appropriate action to stop and prevent discrimination.  Introducing a simple and formal reporting process such as the Racial Incident Reporting Form to monitor racial incidents will help teachers to know what is going on.  
* 	Discrimination should be taught in the classroom from JK to high school, and teachers should be trained, and provided with resources to teach the subject.
*	 Schools should maintain lists of community resources knowledgeable on issues of discrimination i.e. Diversity Thunder Bay, the RMYC, Gender Issues, etc, and invite them as guest presenters.
*	Schools should develop peer mediation teams of students trained to bring perpetrators and victims together to talk about their actions, and feelings.
*	Teachers and police officers investigating discrimination cases should receive orientation to be sensitive and not re-victimize students who are discriminated against, and learn to process complaints objectively and professionally.
* 	Schools should encourage students to organize and participate in activities that help to build bridges, produce student-friendly leaflets discrimination.
*	Messages to stop discrimination should be emphasized in student handbooks

* 	Effective punishments that incorporate a learning process should be applied, i.e. formal apologies to victims, and essays read in class, creative in-school activities--rather than just suspensions without consequences, or volunteering with multicultural organizations or other issue related community groups.
*	Inaction sends the wrong messages to students.
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Drugs:	Facilitated by Shannon Roundhead and Youth Worker, Reggie Arbor 

* 	The students and youth consulted described drugs as:
- 	something that could hurt you, and affects your state of mind
-	 	something extremely addictive and controlling
-	 	make a person feel “good or high” temporarily
-	 	a costly habit that has many consequences, and can ruin a future 
* 	82% of students surveyed were aware of students using drugs at school.
* 	The most common type of drug is marijuana/cannabis/weed.  But students had heard of ecstasy, alcohol, acid/LSD, chewing tobacco, cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms, and hash being used. Prescription drugs such as Tylenol 1/2/3, Percocets, Oxycontins, codeine, Morphine, Methadone are growing in popularity.  Smoking cigarettes is common among students at school. Other drugs such as steroids do more likely to harm the individual using them.
* 	58% of students believe that drugs are a major concern in regards to safety at school.  They affect one’s mental and physical capabilities, and some people can harm themselves, and/or others while under their influence.  

* 	Added risks include criminal activities to pay for drugs, violence to collect bad debts or to control drug territory, as well as drug dealers and gangs coming in schools.
 * 	Students in early grades (grade 3 or 8 years old) are doing drugs and smoking creating very young addicts.
* 	Some parents smoke, drink, and do drugs with their kids.  
* 	Many students are aware of friends and classmates who have gotten into trouble, skipped, or dropped out of school because of their addictions.
* 	Students are generally aware of initiatives such as The New Experience Program, treatment facilities such as the Smith Clinic, to help young addicts.
*	Students are also aware of the legal consequences of dealing in drugs–police raids, fines and incarceration for possession and/or trafficking.

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Suggestions to deal with Drugs:

Drug abuse is a serious public health issue that contributes to impairment, emotional and mental health problems, addictions, criminal activity and violent behaviour.  As part of growing up, kids may use drugs to experiment, for the thrill of it, to get high, escape reality, to be cool, cope with issues, fit in, or deal with peer pressure.  Some see parents, family members, pop idols, etc using, and feel that it’s okay. Prevention is key, and education is an effective strategy to warn students on risks of drug use.
*	As educational institutions, schools should be proactive and encourage the creation of anti-drug abuse clubs, and support the development of youth-led campaigns to raise awareness of the consequences of drug abuse
*	Teachers should organize class projects during drug awareness week, etc. on drug, alcohol and substance abuse to be presented in class and any materials developed such as posters, poetry, audio-visual etc. should be displayed in hallways or played out to reach all students.
*	Have school monitors outside to discourage smoking or make it inconvenient for the youth to smoke on school grounds.   
*	Schools should offer support to kids using drugs, provide counselling to help them get treatment, facilitate and fast-track entry into treatment programs, and provide in-school after-care support similar to AA/Al-anon programs.
*	Perform locker searches at random, and have security guard/police patrols to stop drugs and weapons being brought into school. The visible presence of security or sniff dogs at school can scare dealers, and discourage drug-use. 
* 	Engage students in school-alerts similar to Crime Stoppers, and Neigh- bourhood Watch to clampdown on drug dealings, and drug abuse in schools.
*	Schools should work with Parent Councils, Student Councils, the Police, health professional and other resource people to arrange presentations and collaborate to develop effective drug-prevention programs.
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Violence: 	Facilitated by Pauline Fogarty, and Educator, Ellen Chambers-Picard

*	100% of the students surveyed had seen, witnessed or heard about the following violence-related incidents at school: 
-	 	fights / assaults
-	 	physical abuse, pushing and shoving
-	verbal abuse, verbal threats and verbal harassment 
-		damage or vandalism to the person’s property 
-	 	sexual assaults
-	 	stabbing / knifing
-	 	swarming/gang or group beatings
* 	Fights between students are the most common form of violence, but they are also verbal threats, weapons and physical assaults that scare students away from school, cause many to skip classes, or dropout altogether.
* 	A majority of students said incidents of physical violence between students and teachers were rare, but verbal threats and vandalism to teacher’s property such as vehicles were more common.
*	57% of students surveyed had not seen weapons at school, but were aware of lock-downs that were scary to both the students and parents.
*	Violence occurs in hallways, during recess, in classrooms, bathrooms, at sporting events, parking lots and other locations easily accessed from the school.  Incidents often occur in areas where there is little or no supervision.
*	The most common punishments for violent students are aware of are;
-	suspensions 
-	talks, calls home, or empty threats
-	extra work to do
- 	presentations
- 	police are called and charges laid 
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* 	Most students believe that the strategies being used to deal with violence are not working because:
- 	Some students do not care what teachers do, or think, because their parents always back them.
- 	Some students have an attitude, and do not care about missing school.  They welcome suspensions as time-off to do whatever they want to do. Since most times, no one is home to supervise them, all they really do is get a break from doing schoolwork.
- 	The punishments given do not stop violent acts, and some punishments only make things worse as students seek to retaliate
- 	There is not enough “shock value” in the talks or discussions for kids to learn from the consequences of their behaviour.
- 	Just reacting to violence after it occurs does not address the root causes of the problem. There are usually some underlying issues behind the scenes that precipitate the violent actions.
- 	Parents are generally not connecting well with their children, and serving as role models for character development and the shaping of behaviour.
- 	Students who are angry, stressed out, and use violence to lash out need help, i.e. counselling and anger-management to control their emotions.
- 	Suspension without addressing the issues is not an effective way to help kids. 
-	Some parents are part of the problem why students are violent. Unless these parents also get help, i.e. counselling to recognize what is really happening, or try to become positive role models, not much will be accomplished by just focusing on the student alone
- 	Some young people feel that the justice system is a joke, because it is often lenient to young perpetrators of violence.  This sends the wrong message to both the perpetrators and victims. There should be serious consequences for students who become repeat violent offenders to protect other students.
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Suggestions to deal with Violence:

Students surveyed agree that parenting has the most influence on how children turn out to be. Early childhood experiences, socialization, and the media can affect behaviour. Other factors such as poverty, lifestyles and neighbourhoods also play an important role, and strategies to address violence should take them into account. 

Ideas shared to deal with violence in schools are:
- 	Schools should not deal with students exhibiting violent tendencies in isolation of the home environment. 
- 	Parents should be brought in and must be directly involved in what is going on. Separate and joint meetings should be held to discuss what is going on. 
- 	Schools should have social workers and counsellors in all schools to work with large enrolments of students with complex social problems. 
- 	Students causing problems should be asked to provide a written profile of themselves to help teachers understand their situation better, so that they can apply appropriate measures to help them. 
- 	There should be different punishments than what is being done now. Something that will stick with the offender such as interactive punishments (i.e. presentations in class or to other students involved in similar offenses talking about their incident, workshops they must actively participate in, assignments community service in facilities or areas focusing on their offence, some form of restitution such as an open apology to the victim). 
- 	Bring in past victims and perpetrators of violence to talk about their past actions, and the help they needed to make a difference. Create disciplinary committees that include students to decide consequences, or punishments for specific acts of violence, and recommend course of action. Introduce peer mediation programs to encourage students to talk things out.
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THE NEXT STEPS – RECOMMENDATIONS  
		
The following recommendations include input from students, young people, parents/ guardians, educators and concerned citizens consulted during this project.  They are a youth perspective on safety at school, and the impacts to the wider community.
	
Schools and School Boards:
	
1. 	Schools should engage students as stakeholders and make them part of the solution to problems. One strategy is creating student advisory committees made up of monitors selected from each home-room class. The committees would liaise with student councils, and meet at least once a month to discuss safety issues. Committee members would be trained for their role, and serve as an additional voice for students. Their input on the well-being of students will provide another source of reference for school administration.

* 	According to the Ontario government  (Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education}* “When students are engaged in their learning and social environment, they are better able to develop the skills and knowledge and grasp the opportunities that can help them reach their full potential, pursue life-long learning, and contribute to a prosperous, cohesive society”.  

Student engagement has an impact on student involvement and participation in the learning process. Experience at the RMYC shows that young people appreciate meaningful engagement as part of a learning process to help shape their world and destiny. Students should be involved in resolving issues they identify as problems.  It should not be the task of school administration alone to deal with school safety, but a partnership with students as stakeholders.  Their ideas must be appreciated, and opinions respected.
.

*  Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education, Winter, 2008.  Character Development, Page 12.
     www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/energize 

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In a study by Allensworth and Easton * which tracked students with identical Grade 8 test scores and socio-demographic characteristics who attended different high schools. Students in one high school failed 1.4 more Grade 9 courses than those who attended another. These higher failure rates were caused by poor attendance, and attendance tends to reflect the quality of the school. Good high schools have better engagement which is shown by higher levels of attendance, resulting in fewer failing students.   			

Consulting students regularly to hear their concerns, and what can be done for them makes a good safe school. High enrolments require that principals find new ways to communicate with students. Advisory committee members trained to listen, be open-minded, fair and respectful of others, can complement student councils, and engage more students. This will reduce the alienation and despair marginalized students feel from being ignored.  More opportunities for students to have a say on what bugs them, and share their ideas to improve their situations will make them feel connected to their school. Two-way communication between administration and students creates a better and healthier learning and working environment for everyone.

2.	Schools should encourage and support peer mentoring programs such as Natural Helpers, and support groups like the RMYC’s Girl Power & Cool Guys where older students help younger ones through their problems.  Tram or group leaders would receive orientation and training to work with individuals or small groups of 3 to 5 younger students.  The students can meet at school during lunch for peer support, advice, or just someone to talk with. Anything discussed is confidential–-unless it involves security risks or harm.  This strategy can be used to help students deal with bullying, discrimination, drugs, violence, and so forth.

*   Balfanz, R., Herzog, L., and Iver, D. (November, 2007). Preventing Student Disengagement and 
Keeping  Students on the Graduation Path in Urban Middle-Grades Schools: Early Identification and 
Effective Interventions. Educational Psychologists 42:4.

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*	Peer support groups are another strategy to help new or alienated students feel they belong.  For example, a ‘buddy program’ can help grade nines deal with transition to high school, and link at-risk youths with positive role models.  This will be an opportunity for students talk to trusted peers about their issues.  Positive peer supports will help marginalized students to stay in school.

3.	Schools should create a host/orientation program for Aboriginal students from reserves coming to study in the city, and for immigrant and refugee children new to the country. A welcome wagon-like service for new students is needed to reduce culture shock, and to assist immigrant and First Nations youths integrate into our large multicultural schools.  This will ease the transition into new schools, decrease stress of relocating, help them to fit in and succeed.
							
*	A ‘host’ program could be run by senior students with the help of staff advisors and community volunteers. Responsibilities would include welcoming new students to school, helping them to learn their way around, and dealing with transition to overcome shyness, fear of the unknown, language barriers and so forth.  Fitting into a new school can be a traumatic experience for kids.  Having trained peers giving a helping hand for comfort can reduce feelings of alienation among students, and reassure them that they belong. 

4. 	A student-friendly complaint process using the ‘Crime Stoppers’ model should be created for students to report crime, and other situations pertaining to their safety. Simple forms such as the Racial Incident Reporting Form should be used to record events when they occur, and solicit students’ input to resolve the problem. Grievance procedures should be well-publicized, and convenient to use. Teachers can work with class monitors, and student councils to promote the complaint process, and encourage students to report incidents. Monitoring them will indicate whether things are improving, or getting worse.
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* 	From the discussions, many students are not quite aware of how to lodge a complaint, or whether they would be protected from victimization. This creates situations where not many complaints are made. As a result, teachers do not get a full picture of what is going on, and are not well versed with the issues.

Good publicity, and using student-friendly methods to engage students in the complaint or reporting process will help to solve problems.  Students know where the fights are, who is dealing drugs, or doing what to whom. A Crime Stoppers model, where information is filed in confidence to avoid victimization will encourage students to come forward. Adopting a Racial Incident Reporting Form where students are asked how they want the matter resolved empowers the victims to be part of the solution. All this will help to engage students in monitoring school safety, and how issues are being dealt with.
	
5. 	School uniforms should be introduced in all high schools to promote decency, neatness, and make every student feel included. This will eliminate undue pressure on both students and parents to pay fortunes for designer clothes. Getting rid of the ‘fashion contest’ in schools would take care of the social class labelling, superficial discrimination, and tensions accentuated by attire--so that students can focus on learning and completing high school. 

From our survey, the problem of discrimination based on clothes does not exist in Catholic high schools. This is because they have school uniforms. Other schools can solve this problem by introducing uniforms. If the process is complicated and will take too much time, a formal dress code incorporating school board colours should be adopted.  For example: light blue shirts/tops, and navy blue or black pants for public schools. Red shirts/tops and black pants for Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School. Student Councils and class monitors should be brought on side, and work with school administration to engage other students in the process.
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*	Poverty is on the rise in Thunder Bay, and more families are finding it hard to make ends meet. It is difficult for some parents to afford designer clothes so that their kids can fit in, and be accepted by their peers. There are stories of students who would rather skip, or drop out, than face peer pressure and embarrassment of not putting on the latest fashions. Student Councils and class monitors can help to market the idea, and promote the need for school uniforms for the whole student body. They can assist in selecting popular colours and designs from potential suppliers, and help to implement the dress code.  The RMYC developed a position paper on school uniforms used by the Catholic Board to promote school uniforms among parents. We can share this information with interested school boards.

6.	Schools should keep profiles on the backgrounds and neighbourhoods their students come from. Where the students come from affects them. This creates the baggage they bring to school. This insight will enable school boards to seek and justify the resources to provide appropriate interventions, supports and services the students require to level the playing field. The process is similar to the initiative to compile statistics for Aboriginal students in order to monitor their progress and help them to realize their potential.

*	In “Energizing Ontario Education”, the government recognized that: “One of the most consistent findings in the educational literature is the strong link between socio-economic status and educational achievement. Poverty matters in education”. This acknowledgement should mobilize school boards to seek provincial funding for programs that engage students, and improve participation. Involving students in school activities contributes to creating safer and healthier learning environments. Schools with students from impoverished areas should be targeted for immediate intervention programs and supports.

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7. 	Schools must create and support peer mediation to help students resolve conflict by talking things out.  They must learn to work through differences, instead of fighting about it. Students need alternative ways to solve problems amicably so that they do not fear retaliation and are scared to come to school.

*	Peer mediation encourages dialogue to settle arguments, ease tensions, and diffuse the potential for violence. Schools can identify potential peer leaders who can learn to talk fairly, and listen to what is really going on in the lives of disputants. Trained ‘judges and jury’ of peers ensure accountability by offering support for the victims to heal, and aiding perpetrators to learn from their mistakes.  Mediation helps to resolve problems without holding grudges and fostering fear of revenge that can scare students from school.

*	The RMYC is promoting peer mediation, and teen courts (peer juries) as ways to involve students in applying justice. The Council has produced resource materials on conflict resolution.  We also work with YOUCAN, a renowned Canadian group based in Ottawa that assists school boards to set up peer mediation programs in schools.

8.	School boards should eliminate split grades in elementary schools, and have smaller class sizes to give students the attention and support they need.  The Ontario government acknowledges the need for smaller classes. From Energizing Ontario Education. “Small class sizes will continue to be a priority”. This will help to engage all students, especially those at risk of dropping out.  

* 	Our school boards should pursue the government’s commitment to ‘having 20 or fewer students’ Energizing Ontario Education.  Smaller class sizes will help to create a safer school by giving teachers more time to supervise students during lunch, breaks, walk in hallways and school grounds.
.

*  Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education, Winter, 2008.  Character Development, Page 13.
     www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/energize 

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9.	School boards should have an even distribution of male teachers in all schools. This will provide fatherly images, good male role models and gender-balance for students being raised in women-headed single parent homes.  

*	A significant number of students we consulted said that, in general, they find male teachers “more grounded and less emotional” when dealing with topics such as bullying, discrimination, drugs and violence.  They also feel that it is much easier to approach male teachers, and talk to them about conflict, and other issues that invoke deep emotions. The fatherly image of male teachers helps to give guidance to students who miss a male figure in their family. This can help them to deal with personal gender and discipline issues. 

10. 	School boards should hire qualified school principals, teachers and staff who reflect the diversity of the community and student population. This will enable educators to communicate with all students, serve as role models, and inspire them to realize their potential. Understanding cultural and racial issues is critical to engaging a diverse student population and influence them to change 

* 	Students need to be inspired to reach their potential. School principals, teachers and staff, more than buildings and equipment, have a lasting impact on the students’ lives. Many students we consulted prefer principals, teachers and staff who are involved in their lives, and not treat them just as pupils in their care until the bell rings. Being able to communicate, understand nuances and gestures, and being culturally sensitive, will help to close the social and racial gaps that marginalize and alienate racialized students.  In Thunder Bay, It is particularly important for educators to engage Aboriginal and minority students who often feel out-of-place in our schools. If they can identify with some of the staff in authority, they will feel that they belong. This will improve school attendance, reduce dropouts, and increase graduates.

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 11. 	School boards should have mandatory orientation courses and cultural sensitivity training as part of professional development. This provides teachers with information and skills to deal with diversity and the complex issues confronting students today. Regular up-dates on social situations, and how they influence learning, will enable teachers to better connect with students, make them feel part of the education process, and stay in school. 

*	Schools are as good as the teachers they have. The teachers’ abilities to relate with students make a great difference. According to Bri Trypuc and Adam Heller*, “Good high schools have better engagement which is shown by higher levels of attendance, resulting in fewer failing students.”  Teachers are role models who can guide, motivate and inspire their students. They are also significant others who help students to sort out their problems--if they are sensitive, not too authoritarian, and respectful of their students. Respect is reciprocal and should be earned. Therefore, teachers need training to understand social conditions, ailments, mental health issues to deal with the challenges affecting their students fairly. Professional development will enhance the teachers’ abilities to get the best out of their students. Those who fail to connect with students, reciprocate mutual respect, or cannot serve as models, should be re-assigned to non-teaching tasks, or let go.

12. 	Schools should invite guest speakers and resource people who can deliver “shock value” in their presentations to warn students about the consequences of bullying, violence, discrimination, abuse of drugs and alcohol, and so forth.  Dealing with serious issues, and inappropriate behaviour in a casual and simple way does not seem to have the desired effects among youth at-risk.
.

*   Bri Trypuc and Adam Heller, Breaking the Cycle of Failure, Charity Intelligence Canada, September, 2008. pp 11,       www.charityintelligence.ca 

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*	Many students are familiar with the ‘normal routine’, and are tired of receiving presentations that have little, or no impact on them.  Those we consulted feel that talks should be age-appropriate. Talks to younger grades do not have the same effect on older students. Using victims and perpetrators of offences or crimes changed by the experiences can have a better chance of influencing kids. Prevention is the key, and teaching kids to realize risks, consequences, and how to avoid making the same mistakes will make a difference. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Students need relevant information to make informed decisions and wise choices about drugs.

13. 	Boards of education should include diversity in the school curriculum, with course content covering human rights, racism, classism, homophobia, ageism and other forms of discrimination. This will be an opportunity to teach students about mutual respect, equity, and social justice to better prepare them to live and work in a diverse society. Teachers preparing the courses will learn about Canadian Multiculturalism as a strategy to promote equity and national unity. They will learn to appreciate diversity, how to deal with kids from different backgrounds, and when treating all students the same can be seen as discriminating against others.  This will help them to connect with all students, resolve conflict fairly, and support diverse pupils to realize their potential.  

*	Racism continues to be a problem in our community, and kids can feel it. In spite of having Human Rights and Multiculturalism Acts, racial discrimination continues to plague our communities. The problem exists in schools because racist attitudes, stereotypes, and prejudices in the community are passed on to the children. Racial tensions often escalate to verbal assaults, bullying and fights. Some students do not feel safe at school and drop out.  Racism creates barriers that divide students at school, and in the community.

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Discrimination is based on ignorance. Schools are agents of transformation, and can change attitudes and mould behaviour. Teaching diversity and engaging students in hands-on activities from junior kindergarten right through to high school, promotes respect, acceptance, tolerance, human dignity, understanding, tolerance, caring, fairness, and other social values that improve race relations. Learning about diversity prepares students to work in a multicultural society, and how to function in a global multiracial world.

 	Schools should encourage and support students to organize events that enhance their understanding and appreciation of diversity. Participating in Commemorating human rights days, and March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will help to improve race relations.

14. 	Schools should give course credits, community hours, and awards to students showing exemplary leadership, and giving their time, skills and talents for the good of their school. Formally acknowledging the work of peer helpers, team leaders, student-mentors, tutors, school monitors etc. makes the students feel that their work is being appreciated. Offering part time jobs to at-risk students can motivate them to be involved in the school’s activities. This will create pools of students working with their peers to improve the school environment.

* 	Students can do a better job of connecting with their peers. They are a valuable asset for disseminating information, and mobilizing other students to act on safety issues and other worthy causes. Recognizing and rewarding students doing extra curricular work to enhance the school’s image, foster team spirit, and help others to succeed has ripple effects.  More students will be involved and motivated to participate in activities that enhance the image of their school and encourage others to succeed.

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15.	Schools should collaborate with community organizations, liaise with social service agencies, and support youth-led groups to reach out and engage children and youth in positive activities. Sharing facilities and other resources will enable students to have easy access to after-school programs. 

*	Boredom has long been identified as contributing to truancy, risky behaviour, crime and violence among youth. Providing structured activities for at-risk youth after-school will keep them busy, and off the streets. Access to supervised after-school activities in local schools makes it easier for students to participate. Recreational activities that promote healthy lifestyles, and programs to help children develop lifeskills will enhance the learning process. The sharing of facilities will also help some parents and their children to feel more comfortable and at home in a school setting.
							
16.	Schools should formally ‘educate’ students on the school’s code of conduct. Teachers must devote more time to familiarize themselves with the school’s code of conduct in order to discuss the details with students. They should engage students through an inclusive process to understand the school code, appropriate behaviours, and learn to appreciate its purpose.  

*	To implement the Ontario government’s core priority on student engagement, teachers must get students actively involved in what happens at school. Opportunities should be created for students to provide input, share ideas and express their feelings freely. They should be encouraged to participate in matters of school discipline such as: discussing the complaint process, grievance procedure, manners, inappropriate dress, language and behaviour, as well as the consequences of breaching the school code. They should be consulted on issues such as the use of cell-phones, computers, surveillance cameras, and other modern technologies at school. 

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Familiarity with the school’s code of conduct will help students to understand and appreciate what is at stake. Seeking input gives students ownership and some accountability on what happens. This will ensure that they are partners with school administration to implement the school‘s code of conduct. 

It is important for be creative in finding ways to motivate students to plan, and organize their own activities that nurture school spirit.  Some students are indifferent and do not care, because they are not involved in deciding things that affect them. Young people appreciate meaningful engagement as part of learning to take more responsibilities. We believe that issues identified by in the school survey will not be fully addressed if students are not included as part of the solution. Change will not come if we continue doing things the same old way. We have to think outside the box, and find new ways to tap into students’ potential to help make schools safer.

17.	Schools must teach personal growth as an integral part of student academic achievement. ‘Character Development’ is a key initiative for the government.  In “Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education",* we have the ‘Premier’s commitment to support schools as agents of social cohesion that nurture students’ academic, personal, and social development’. It is, therefore, imperative that schools incorporate the building character in the curriculum, and make it a mandatory course for all students. 
					
*	Schools have done a good job of adapting to new technologies, educating children to understand the world around them, and training young people for the work-world.  Educators have responded well to the needs of the business community and our institutions, by developing a skilled workforce and capable leaders.  It is now time for schools to help develop responsible citizens. 
		
* Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education, Winter, 2008.  Character Development, Page 12.

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The role of raising children has traditionally been left for the family. This served us well when mothers stayed at home to nurture kids, and the extended family was there to help with child-rearing. The steady collapse of the family support structure due to pressures to seek employment to make ends meet, move to where jobs are, and family breakdowns, has created many problems for children and youth.  Consequently, babysitters, daycare centres, the modern media and foster parents are all helping to raise kids.

The steady increase in numbers of youth in care, many being raised by total strangers as wardens of the crown, speaks volumes what is happening to children. Many need protection from abuse, exploitation, and horrendous things they have experienced.  As they grow up, some join street youth gangs for family.  Others become homeless and try to survive on the streets, or end up in correctional facilities. It is a disturbing trend, because this is the lifestyle many will pass on to their own children -- because that is all they know.

The education system has the capacity to respond to current social realities and make a difference. Through education, schools can transform children’s unfortunate circumstances and give them hope.  For several years now, the RMYC has been calling for the teaching of shared Canadian values and civil qualities in schools. This will influence manners, behaviour, attitude, morality, discipline, and other social values the youth need to be successful in life.  

Our governments are investing heavily in the education system for economic growth purposes.  Adding Character Development to the curriculum is a proactive strategy to shape, mould and groom young people as responsible citizens. This will guide us to social prosperity and a better future.  Incorporating lifeskills, mutual respect, common courtesy, empathy, and social justice issues in the courses will have an impact on our civilization.
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18.	Schools should have formal procedures and protocols with police services when dealing with students who breach the code of conduct, or commit criminal offences. Principals, teachers and staff should uphold professional standards, and not talk-down to the students.  Even though the laying of charges involves police officers, schools should have a say on the process of arresting the student in their facilities. For example, it should not be a humiliating, condescending or embarrassing situation to the youth. It can be a learning experience about humility and appreciating the consequences.

*	Authority figures should lead by example. Many young people talk about how some of the figures of authority fail to connect with them because of bad attitudes and no respect–even though they claim the students do not respect them. Arrogance and talking down, reflects the experiences many at-risk kids have at home. Duplicating the same poor treatment the kids are used to, creates frustration, resentment, at despair. A change in tactic, would, provide a valuable learning experience about humility, mutual respect, and can instill an appreciation of authority. Having professionals who get along well with youths to calmly talk with the students as the situation allows to let things cool down, can turn out to be a positive lesson on the life of troubled students.

19. 	All school boards should consult regularly with students, and youth in general on their issues. They should provide opportunities for dialogue, solicit input on school safety, and seek ideas to improve student retention and passing rates.

* 	Consulting with students can be done through student councils and class monitors.  Random class visits by Trustees, school board administration, and school principals to hear first-hand the issues will also help to build trust with students.  Partnering with community organizations and youth groups such as the RMYC will enable schools to also hear the voices of school dropouts.
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That Northern Nishnawbe Education Council:

1. 	The Northern Nishnawbe Education Council, NNEC should liaise with First Nations sending students to the city, and run orientations to ease their transition to studying away from home in an urban environment.  Providing information before the students leave home, will help to prepare them on what to expect, raise awareness on the risk factors, and how to do well in school.

* 	Since 1990, the RMYC has run orientation sessions for new students from remote northern reserves coming to study in urban centers.  Feedback has been positive, and the program has contributed to reducing student attrition. Many of the students, however, feel that more can be done while they are still at home to better prepare them on what to expect.  Senior students, or past graduates can help to run preparatory sessions with tips for surviving in the city, and any other information new students should know more about.

2. 	NNEC should provide resources, supports, guidance and training for junior chief and councils. Student councils are an effective way to engage students in governance issues, and mobilize the student body to participate in school activities.  It is important to ensure that students have a voice to represent their interests and concerns while attending school away from home. 

*	It is important for NNEC to develop positive role models and train young leaders who will be responsible for organizing activities for their peers. Orientation should be provided to enable the student chief and council to consult with the wider students body and represent their wishes, present their interests anf concerns. Incentives and resources should be offered to motivate student council members to plan and organize events that promote school pride, keep students busy and  safe, as well as help them to reach their goals and realize their dreams.
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3. 	NNEC should secure safe homes for students to live in, and seek more financial resources for structured after-school activities. Opening the schools in the evenings for recreation, student clubs, study groups, etc. and arranging transportation for safety will provide students with more opportunities to do extra curricular activities, and access the help they need to do well in school. 

*	Safety at school for NNEC students covers their whole experience in the city to attend classes. The challenges are compounded because the students are living away from home and open to temptations of living alone in the city.  Exposure to alcohol, drugs, and racism makes them vulnerable to involvement with youth street gangs for companionship, and vulnerable to violence.  Peer pressure to abuse substances and to skip school raises the risks of dropping out and/or being sent back home. Finding well supervised boarding homes/ideal accommodation, opening the school after hours and safe transportation to participate in extra-curricular activities they help to organize will ensure their safety and enjoyment while studying in the city.

4. 	NNEC should establish and maintain formal links with the Thunder Bay Police/ Aboriginal Liaison Officer to familiarize Aboriginal students about policing in the city.  The  Aboriginal Youth Crime Prevention Committee, the Anti-Street Gang Unit, the Tri-Drug Unit, the Ontario Provincial Police, and Nishnabe Aski Nation Police should collaborate to ‘street-proof students before and when they arrive in urban centres.

*	Relations between Aboriginal youth and the police are strained. Incidents of police brutality, racial profiling, cultural in-sensitivity etc. have soured relations. It is important to facilitate the building of bridges between boarding students and city police services so that students trust officers, approach them for protection  in order to feel safe in the city. 
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5.	NNEC should hold regular consultations with students who regularly get in trouble at school, drop out, are  suspended, or sent back home and hear what they have to say about their problems, and solicit their input on the help and support they need to stay in school and graduate.

*	Aboriginal drop-out rates are high across Canada. In Manitoba, only 44% of Aboriginals over the age of fifteen have a high school diploma, compared with 64% of non-Aboriginals.  In Saskatchewan, 49% of Aboriginals have a diploma, compared to 72% of non-Aboriginals. In the Northwest Territories, 15% of Aboriginals have one versus 25% of those in the rest of the territory.  

The attrition rates of NNEC students are still very high.  This problem is common in Aboriginal communities across Northwestern Ontario.  There is a definite need to consult regularly with the students, get them to identify the issues, and challenge them to come up with suggestions to address them.  Engaging students as part of the solution to the problem.  We believe that involving students as stakeholders in their learning experience, and taking into account their concerns, needs, and aspirations will make a difference.

6. 	NNEC should develop simple processes to monitor issues of safety affecting students. A form like the “Racial Incident Reporting Form” to encourage students to register their concerns, and asking them how they would like to see the matter resolved will certainly help students to charter their destiny.

*	NNEC should form partnerships with various community organizations, social service agencies and youth groups to offer help and support to Aboriginal students coming to study in urban centres.  Fully utilizing the resources in the community will enable more Aboriginal students to survive in the city, do well in urban schools and realise their goals. 
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Aboriginal communities:

1. 	Aboriginal communities sending students to urban centres should run orientation sessions to prepare the youth for city life.  The students need urban lifeskills to survive, avoid problems, and focus on their schooling.
		
*	Living in a small isolated reserve is very different from residing in a boarding home in a large town. Many students experience culture shock, are lonely, face racism, and cannot afford fees for sports and other forms of organized entertainment.  They are often bored, and some join the wrong crowds. Alcohol and drugs, criminal youth gangs, violence, and sexual exploitation are easy traps for naive students. Communities should prepare young people mentally and socially about the challenges of studying in a city away from family supports.   
                                                      
The City of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay City Hall should keep profiles of city neighbourhoods on crime, violence, and other safety issues. Monitoring high risk areas will enable the City to respond to problems. The City should also partner with community groups and social service agencies to deliver prevention programs, and provide support services to improve the quality of life for children.

* 	Children are greatly influenced by experiences at home and their surroundings. During the Thunder Bay Neighbourhood Profiles study last summer, the RMYC learned that poverty, family violence, assaults, youth street gangs, addictions, drug and alcohol-related problems, vandalism, prostitution and other forms of crime are common in all public housing projects and downtown neighbourhoods. Therefore, children from these areas bring all these issues with them to school.
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This has an impact on the children’s character, and affects their performance in class. The social baggage puts some kids at risk. Intervention is needed to change behaviour and attitude.  Proactive programs are necessary in high-risk neighbourhoods to break negative cycles and make a difference.

2. 	Thunder Bay City Hall should be involved in community efforts to run a Welcome Wagon/Settlement Service program for Aboriginal families, new immigrants, and refugees coming to the city. Newcomers need help to cope with the stress of moving to new neighbourhoods. Assisting parents to settle down will decrease pressure on their children’s transition to new schools.  

* 	Moving to new surroundings, and trying to fit into the community is stressful. Adults decide on the move, but children have no option except to follow their parents. Therefore, the challenges of adapting to a new learning environment, and trying to make friends can be overwhelming. Some students will not cope, and may react with anti-social, or self-destructive behaviour. Supports are needed to reduce risks factors that can make some students safety risks.

3. 	Thunder Bay City Council should create a budget to promote Thunder Bay’s Children’s Charter.  The City should provide funding to community groups, social service agencies, and youth-led projects dedicated to advancing children’s rights.  The City’s Children’s Charter Advocate would lead the crusade to ensure that the recipients of city grants implement the tenets outlined in Children’s Charter to safeguard the well-being of children.

*	The Thunder Bay Children’s Charter was developed to protect children and youth. It spells out the rights of children, and what is needed for the proper nurturing, growth and nurturing of the child. It is important to have incentives and financial support to enable stakeholders to promote the Charter. 
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Changing lifestyles, breakdowns in traditional family supports, and increasing poverty are taking their toll on children and youth. Issues of child abuse, sexual exploitation, alcohol, drug and gambling addictions, young and single parents with no parenting skills, dysfunctional families, and criminal homes are common. Indifferent caregivers who fail as role models, and do not nurture or protect children are making things worse. As a result, increasing numbers of kids need protection and are ending up as wardens of the crown. 
	
Thunder Bay Children’s Charter offers the best hope to promote the common values we should share about raising and caring for children. Applying the Charter can help to prevent the growing problems of crime, violence, vandalism, addictions, school drop-outs, prostitution, and other negative lifestyles involving children and youth threatens our safety and security. With appropriate remedial programs and supports, we can change the fate of some children and give them hope. This will help to address many of the issues that put youth at risk, and contribute to problems of safety and security at school.

Unfortunately, the city has not committed funding to implement the Children’s Charter. Furthermore, there is no strategic plan to engage stakeholders, and mobilize the community to advance the standards outlined in the Charter to protect children. This undermines the City’s influence to determine what is being done to improve the quality of life for children and youth. 

Thunder Bay City Council and the Children’s Charter Advocate should show leadership in advancing the Children’s Charter as the guiding document to transform their unfortunate social conditions. It said that ‘You cannot teach old dogs new tricks’. Therefore we should invest in children -- our most valuable human resource for the future–to break negative cycles learned from parents. 

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4. 	The City of Thunder Bay should show leadership in combating racism in the community. The Mayor should establish a Task Force on Race Relations to examine current trends on race relations, and develop a strategy to deal with racism in the city. The Thunder Bay City Council’s Race Relations Committee should work with Diversity Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay Police on a citywide Anti-Racism/Race Relations awareness campaign.

*	All the young people we consulted acknowledge that racism is pervasive in Thunder Bay. The problem is getting worse. Most of the racial incidents are between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals—who are mostly white/Caucasian. Racism is a safety issue for growing numbers of Aboriginal students from predominantly homogeneous communities coming to study in the city. This situation affects their quality of life and potential to learn.

* 	Aboriginal students had a lot to say about how they are treated in the city.  Even though there is no racial discrimination at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School because all students are Aboriginal, problems exist in the community and in other schools. Many Aboriginal students do not feel safe to walk on the streets because people call them names. Even driving motorists yell racial slurs, throw eggs or pizza slices to bug them and ruin their clothes. They are afraid to wait at the bus stop for buses because this makes them stationary objects for verbal or physical abuse. They do not bother to report the incidents because they do not have faith in the system. Those who try to fight back, often see things get worse. Many become ‘double victims’ if the incidents are reported--being charged by biased police officers for assault, even though they may not have instigated the conflict. Aboriginal people have the fastest growing population in Thunder Bay. The City should be pro-active about racism to help students to feel safe, and concentrate on their studies.

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Thunder Bay Police, Nishnawbe Aski Police, and Ontario Provincial Police:
	
1.	Police Services should run professional development sessions for officers dealing with children and youth. Training in cultural sensitivity and current trends in youth culture are needed to bridge the gap between police officers and youths. Mistrust and resentment plague current police/youth relations. This undermines officers’ work with children and youth to solve problems, and the ability to get potential recruits from marginalized and racialized groups.  

*	Many young people in general, do trust the police. They see police officers as having an attitude, unfair, bossy, and biased against them. Some officers tend to use their authority (the badge), rather than positive influence when dealing with youth. Instead of upholding professional standards, they act in the same way as the youth they blame for being arrogant and disrespectful. Training and orientation can help to improve communication and narrow the gap that makes it difficult to get police recruits from some sectors of the society.

Training has helped police services to deal with hostage takers, and help abused women effectively. Negotiation teams learn to mediate conflicts, and resolve problems in ways that build community confidence with police services. We feel that police officers working with kids should receive training to handle difficult situations and resolve problems appropriately. This will minimize resentment, and enable young people to trust police officers. 

 	Another strategy to build bridges is running police co-op programs in schools. Training potential recruits to help with safety and security issues at school will be a win-win situation.  This will help to reduce stigmas about policing, while engaging students to improve their safety at school. 

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The Ministry of Education and the Government of Ontario: 

1.	The Ministry of Education and the Government of Ontario should support schools to implement core areas and priorities outlined in the document: Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education*; provide resources to ensure application; establish bench-marks to monitor outcomes, and support youth-led initiatives to engage students in the government’s actionplan.

*	The ‘Reach Every Student” document’ is comprehensive, and covers critical areas to help students to learn well and succeed. With student engagement as a core priority, educators will need to think outside the box and find new ways to get students to actively participants in the education system. An inclusive curriculum that appeals to all students, and two-way respectful and meaningful communication between school administration and students will give students some ownership and accountability for what goes on at school. But, students will need resources to engage each other in the process.

2.	The Ministry of Education should mandate schools to implement peer mediation programs for students to learn about resolving conflict and settling disputes without violence.   This will guarantee that students are stakeholders on school security, and student safety.

*	With growing incidents of youth-to-youth violence in schools, we feel that mediation should be included as part of the Safe Schools Act. Training student leaders as mediators, and providing them with the skills to listen and talk things out can create a culture of peace.  We have to encourage students to get the “Rambo” attitude out, and tap into their passions and potential for empathy to treat others the way they would like to be treated. 

* Reach Every Student, Energizing Ontario Education, Winter, 2008.  Character Development

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Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities:

1. 	The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities should review the selection process for teacher-trainees, and give points for “people skills” to complement the academic qualifications of applicants. With student engagement as a core priority, schools need teachers who are resourceful to motivate and inspire students to learn. Good communication skills, being culturally sensitive, and having a pleasant personality are valuable assets to connect with students, help them to learn, stay in school, and succeed.

*	Schools today play important roles to educate, socialize and as equalizers for children. They can promote the common values we share in a multicultural society and produce responsible citizens. In spite of the students’ back-grounds, schools have the capacity to transform the individual child’s life and make it better. But, it is the school principals and teachers who can make the difference. Therefore, it is important to recruit educators with the qualities, skills, and ability to connect and inspire students to realize their potential.

Teachers’ Unions:

1. 	Teachers’ Unions should collaborate with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and school boards to monitor teacher performance based on benchmarks of student success, and/or class evaluations.

*	Teachers’ unions exist for the well-being of their members, but they should realize that it is students and schools that determine their essence. Teachers have a big impact on society because we all have to go through the education system for our careers. Therefore, it is important to ensure that good teachers who make a difference stay, and those who fail to deliver leave, or are let go
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The Ministry of Children and Youth Services:
	
1.	The Ministry of Children and Youth Services should be the voice in cabinet for all children and youth, advocate for legislation and government policies to end child poverty, improve access to mental health services for kids, enhance the status of children-in-care, and fund proactive programs for at-risk youth.

*	The RMYC is aware that the Ministry of Children and Youth Services has been holding consultations on poverty. This is a serious issue that puts kids at-risk, and creates problems of safety and security that spill over in our schools.  The culture of poverty affects attitudes and expectations, which often marginalizes kids. Dealing with poverty will reduce risk factors that affect student performance. A good education transforms one’s status, is a passport to success and prosperity. Education can break negative cycles that are costly to society in the long run. Mental health issues related to stress, addictions are common among children living in poverty. This has an impact on the ability to learn, capacity to comprehend and understand things and develop cognitive skills. Access to treatment reduces the risk factors.

2. 	The Ministry of Children and Youth Services should support the establishment of youth drop-in centres as safe places for kids to hang out after hours, meet positive role models, access information, services and supports, and participate in structured after school programs that can make a difference.
 
•	Youth centres offer alternative safe havens for at-risk youths to hang out away from the streets and dysfunctional homes.  They complement schools by offering help with homework, counselling services, and information to enable kids to make informed decisions and wise choices. Youth drop-in centres can help to alleviate boredom and promote healthy lifestyles.
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Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth:

1. 	The Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth (OPACY) should serve as a proactive voice for all children and youth, including impoverished, marginalized, alienated, and those in care. The OPACY should liaise with all Ministries, agencies and levels of government for resources, supports and services that to reduce risk factors that make kids vulnerable to violence, crime, addictions, gangs, dropping out of school, and other negative lifestyles.

* 	Children and youth need a voice in houses of power.  In spite of being our most valuable human resource for the future, they are young to be listened to, and powerless to demand changes that impact their well-being.  They do not influence decision-makers because they cannot vote. But, having a trusted office to present issues such as safety, schooling, violence, and so forth will make a difference. Therefore, the OPACY should consult with children and youth on a regular basis, listen to their concerns and work with agencies, community groups and the government to have the issues addressed.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

1.	Indian and Northern Affairs Canada should review the funding formula for Aboriginal students to reflect current realities, and provide equitable resources for native students studying in urban areas to meet their unique needs.

*	Inadequate funding prevents Aboriginal students and youths in urban centres from accessing services, programs and supports they need to survive in the city, stay in school and graduate.  Realistic funding would enable Aboriginal boarding students to participate in a variety of after-school programs and extra curricular activities to keep them busy and safe.
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Regional Multicultural Youth Council:

1.	The RMYC should seek resources and support from governments, foundations, First Nations, the business community, educational institutions, social service agencies and concerned citizens to mobilize student councils and engage students as stakeholders working on the recommendations in this report to create a safer and healthier learning environment for everyone.

*	The RMYC initiated this project, and should play a leading role to promote the issues raised in the report.  However, since youth are a dependent population with no financial resources and capital to implement recommendations from the students, the RMYC will need the support of adults to fund activities that will involve pupils in a campaign to create safer schools. 

2.	The RMYC should liaise with boards of education, First Nations, and NNEC  to host orientations and after-school activities for Aboriginal youths from small remote reserves attending urban high schools, provide training for role models and young leaders to organize presentations that raise awareness on the risks of alcohol and drug abuse, youth street gangs, and other risky activities that have an impact on safety, and affects their potential to learn.

*	The RMYC has gained experience from helping immigrant youths integrate into Canadian society and do well in school.  Sharing information with First Nations sending students to urban centres will prepare them to life in the city, and help them to adjust to studying in larger schools.

3. 	The RMYC should work with YOUCAN to promote peer mediation as a strategy for youths to resolve conflict and settle disputes by talking things out rather than fighting, and liaise with the Ministry of Education and schools boards to engage student councils in conflict resolution campaigns in schools.
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*	There is an urgent need to teach students other ways of resolving disputes than through the violence kids are exposed to on television and computer games.  Introducing peer mediation in schools would be an effective way to counter violence in the media. Training youths to talk things out instead of fighting to solve problems and settle arguments will provide the skills to promote peace. 

4. 	The RMYC should work with schools to introduce Racial Incident Reporting Forms as a convenient tool to record racist incidents. Having racially motivated incidents recorded formally will provide schools with the information they need to monitor what is happening, get a better insight on the magnitude of the problem, and challenge them to do something to deal with incidents.

*	Since schools are being challenged to engage students, providing simple and convenient ways to participate in things that improve their learning environment is a great way to involve them.  Asking students for solutions on how to resolve issues is a proactive way to involve students as part of the solution to problems.  This will have a positive impact on students.

5.	Schools should support student-led projects such as Revolution Girl-Style/Girl Power Program, March 21/Anti-racism Campaign, Drug-free Kids, Peer Helpers, and so forth that empower young people to make a difference.  Motivating student councils to mobilize students to help each other will have a profound results in creating a safer and better learning environment. 

*	The Youth Council supports the governments’ call to engage students as stakeholders in the education system.  This can be a rewarding experience that can transform students, and empower them to aspire for something better. Being involved with the RMYC has provided valuable learning opportunities for Youth Council members to work for the common good.  This project is an example of what young people are capable of doing if supported.
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CONCLUDING COMMENTS

The RMYC is very impressed with the enthusiasm and quality of input by youths who participated in the project, and prepared this report. We are grateful for the support and contribution from the adults, educators and parents who generously shared their ideas and experiences with the project team. In spite of cynicism by some students that their opinions will be ignored, the Youth Council hopes that the recommendations will be viewed as positive and constructive youth input.

The report gives students a voice on safety at school. It contains suggestions on what can be done to improve the learning environment for students to feel safe, stay in school, and reap benefits from the education system.  School safety is more that just the state of buildings and equipment. Human interactions -- trust, caring, respect, attitudes, behaviour, fairness etc.--- matter more. A warm, friendly and welcoming place where students feel comfortable with each other, and appreciate their teachers, improves their chances of enjoying the learning process and being transformed by it. Having programs, supports, and a progressive curriculum that appeals to students from diverse backgrounds will inspire them to be interested in schooling, acquire knowledge, and graduate. 

Schools are doing a great job of educating the nation. Boards of education, teachers, school principals, staff and their unions are all working together to help students succeed. Through education, students can change from ‘what is’ to ‘what could be’. We are pleased that our school boards and the Ontario government are equally concerned about students’ safety.  The Safe Schools Act is intended make students feel safe.  But, discretion is often required in its application to account for social and cultural variables to ensure fairness.  We should ensure that all students , benefit from society’s huge investment in the education system.

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For the record, in 2006, Canadian governments spent $75.7 billion on education, with $42.7 billion spent on kindergarten through Grade 12*.  In 2006, governments spent $9,040 to educate each student, a 28% increase over 1999 spending.  Canada has the second highest level of funding for education in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, second only to the United States. This investment is recognition that education is essential for Canada’s competitive position, our economic growth, and high living standards. 

With so much money being spent to educate young people, more can be done to produce caring and responsible employees, bosses, and citizens. By teaching Canadian values, qualities, character and so forth, school graduates can learn about the commonalities we share, together with academic knowledge. 

Education is a powerful agent for change. While schools have little or no influence on students before they come to learn, they have the potential to change their fate if they stay in school and graduate. Through learning, social change occurs, and more doors to opportunities and possibilities are opened. Education offers the best strategy for self-transformation, self-empowerment, and self-improvement.

A high school education is more important today than 20 years ago, and the costs of not graduating from high school are higher. “Today’s workplace requires higher levels of education and skills, where knowledge, not labour, raw material or capital, is the key resource.”**  Dropping out deprives young people of their future earning potential.  In fact, there is a simple relationship that explains the dynamic between education and income: education leads to employment, and employment leads to income. Higher education increases an individual’s income potential. High school drop-outs are the lowest wage earners, living on the edge of, or in poverty. 

*   Statistics Canada. (2008). Education Indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education              Indicators Program 2007. Retrieved May, 2008 from <http://www. statcan.ca/english/freepub/81-582-            XIE/2007001/high-en.htm>

**   Drucker, Peter F. “The Age of Social Transformation,” The Atlantic Monthly, November, 1994, p. 56.

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Good schools produce more high school graduates who contribute to society’s growth and prosperity. Even disadvantaged or high-risk youths can succeed in supportive and engaging schools or programs. Two most prominent risk factors why students fail are academic proficiency and low attendance-–skipping or being suspended.  If a student misses 2 days of school each month from grade 1 through grade 9, by grade 10, that student will have missed an entire year of school. Higher attendance and academic performance will equal fewer drop-outs and more high school graduates.* 

In 1992, it was estimated that every year that produces dropouts costs Canada $4 billion through lost income, foregone taxes, and increased spending to address associated social problems. This represents $5.5 billion in 2008 dollars through lost income, foregone taxes, and increased spending to address social problems. 85% of welfare is spent on high school dropouts.  The future is extremely bleak for youth who never earn a high school diploma. The detrimental effects are most acutely borne by the individual, particularly in two prime areas: income and crime.**
In a nutshell: 
Ž	84% of high school dropouts do not go on to further education
Ž	The unemployment rate for high school dropouts is 2.5 times higher than that of high school graduates.   
Ž 	A life of crime is much more likely for high school dropouts than for those who finish high school.9. While they account for only 15% of the Canadian population, 80% of federal inmates are dropouts.
Ž 	Of 40,000 drop-outs each year, 300 will go to federal prison – 7 times the normal rate, costing $65 million a year. This annual cost is understated since it does not include provincial prison costs.

*    Bri Trypuc and Adam Heller, Breaking the Cycle of Failure, Charity Intelligence Canada, September, 2008.      pp.11, www.charityintelligence.ca 

**   Bri Trypuc and Adam Heller, Breaking the Cycle of Failure, Charity Intelligence Canada, September,           2008. pp 3, www.charityintelligence.ca 

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It should also be realized that dropping out of school is more than a one-time cost to society affecting one individual. Children often mirror the educational attainment of their parents, and those who drop out of high school have lower expectations and support for education. There is a lower likelihood of a high school drop-out’s child receiving a university education than if the parent had completed high school.*  A sad reality is  the self perpetuating cycle  that is crated by dropouts.  Those caught up in crime will have their children do the same when they become parents. 

From this perspective, we feel that all resources at our disposal should be utilized to tackle the dropout problem, and break the cycle of failure. We need to reach out to all students, particularly those at-risk of dropping out.  Helping them to stay in school and graduate begins a generation going through high school.  Failure to do this perpetuates the epidemic on the next the generation.  

The RMYC’s effort to create safer schools revolves around student engagement in activities that have an impact on their well-being. For engagement to occur, teachers should be resourceful and able to connect with all students. They should be creative and expand the learning process into areas that inspire young people and appeal to their passions. 

Students get satisfaction from doing things they enjoy, joining groups that interest them, and/or being part of causes with further reaches than the classroom. Community events in the arts, social issues such as poverty, or Global concerns like the environment can inspire young people to be involved in extra-curricular activities.  The goal is to make them feel that they are part of something important. Being appreciated for helping out and belonging to something positive can impress youths who do not always get acknowledged for doing something good.   

*   Savoie, J. (2008). Neighbourhood Characteristics and the Distribution of Crime: Edmonton, Halifax, and      Thunder Bay. Statistics Canada (Catalogue No. 85- 561-M). Statistics Canada: Crime and Justice               Research (Paper Series).

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Because all students are not academically inclined, partnerships should be formed with all sectors in the community to expose young people to opportunities and resources out-there. While academic ability is crucial in elementary school, attendance is the silver bullet in middle and high school. Engagement programs for lifeskillls development and work experience can keep attendance up for some students. Familiarity with the work world through volunteering, job shadowing, and training in various capacities is what some students need. The transfer of knowledge occurs when appropriate information, skills and experiences are shared. 

Youth-adult partnership where everyone feels included and respected, are essential to deal with the problems of today, and plan for the future.  Many young people are caught up in an ever-expanding cycle of negative lifestyles and despair.  Parents, who should be the primary caregivers are not there to fulfill this role, or do not know how.  The children are neglected and need attention. They lack direction, and feel hopeless. Left alone, the situation will not right itself. External resources are needed, for students who are potential troublemakers, and threaten everyone’s safety at school. However, if teachers and positive peers can become significant others, schools can become powerful agents of change and transformation.

Making our schools safer is a winning situation for everyone. Safer schools improve student attendance, which is critical for students to stay in school, learn, and graduate.  Parents’ concerns about the safety of their children will ease, and the focus will be on encouraging their children to succeed. Teachers will be able to concentrate on educating, training and helping students to succeed with fewer distractions. Governments will benefit from the investment in education when more students graduate, avoid being on welfare, and pay taxes. And society gains because educated young people avoid a life of crime, contribute to the social and economic development of our communities, and raise our standard of living.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Regional Multicultural Youth Council gratefully acknowledges our sponsors:
*	Canadian Heritage
*	Lakehead Public School Board  
* 	Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
*	Northern Nishnawbe Education Council 
* 	Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth 
*	Safeway - Dawson Road / Tim Hortons - Waterloo Street / Mandarin Restaurant
* 	The Dr. Fentey Scott Family 
*	The Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario
* 	YouthScape/Thunder Bay United Way 
*	YES Employment Services
                                                                 
And...Members of the Regional Multicultural Youth Council: 
Kyle Atatise, Madeline Barrett, Alison Bortolon, Neffry Falla, Louis Falla, Pauline Fogarty, Yohann Khani, Eugene Lee, Chelsea McKay, Nathan Ogden, Dayna Payment, Valentina Rae, Shannon Roundhead, Sasha Sky and Martin Zhang – who conducted the conference and prepared this report. 

For more information on this report please contact: 
The Regional Multicultural Youth Council (RMYC)
	Multicultural Youth Centre (MYC)
	511 E. Victoria Avenue
    Thunder Bay, Ontario	
             P7C 1A8

Tel:     (807) 622-4666  				Toll Free:	1-800-692-7692 
									1-800-MYC-RMYC
Fax: 	(807) 622-7271

Email:	manwoyc@tbaytel.net
								
	Website:	http:/my.tbaytel.net/manwoyc