The pandemic not only impacted how educators teach students, but also greatly impacted the way children and parents behave in our schools-and in some cases-not for the better. Our educators have seen these impacts in the form of verbal and physical violence. Your Union has been working hard to create safeguards to ensure you can work without fear of violence from both within school walls and outside.
The issue of violence in schools is a national one with a survey by the The American Psychological Association (APA) finding that nearly half (49%) of teachers expressed a desire to leave the profession or transfer to another school due to school climate and violence. The survey also found:
- One-third of teachers reported they experienced at least one incident of verbal and/or threatening violence from students during COVID (e.g., verbal threats, cyber bullying, intimidation, sexual harassment).
- 29% of educators reported at least one incident of verbal harassment or threatening behavior from a parent of a student.
- Approximately 37% of educators reported at least one incident of harassment or threat of violence from a student and 42% reported the same from a parent.
The data is alarming, and MEA worked hard to put measures in place to protect all educators, regardless of job title or position. MEA is focused on solutions and worked to pass legislation that funds anti-bully policies for school staff and addresses dangerous behavior in the classroom.
Anti-Bullying of School Staff Policy
Anti-bullying laws have been in place for years, but a new law now includes a provision that includes school staff in that policy, protecting them from bullying behavior from both other school employees, administrators, parents, students or any other individual connected with the public school.
MEA believes all schools should be inclusive environments for all employees and students in our public schools. The new anti-bullying policies MEA supported and worked to implement must include, but are not limited to:
- A provision identifying the responsibility of all school employees to comply with the policy.
- A clear statement that bullying, harassment and retaliation for reporting such behavior are prohibited.
- A provision outlining the responsibility of a superintendent to implement and enforce the policy.
- A procedure for school employees to report incidents of bullying.
- A procedure for promptly investigating and responding to incidents of bullying, including written documentation of reported incidents.
- A statement that any rights under the policy do not exclude access to or limit any other right or remedy under the law. If an affected school employee is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the policy under this subsection is subject to the dispute resolution process of the collective bargaining agreement.
Addressing Dangerous Behavior in the Classroom
Following an increase in educators injured on the job, MEA worked with lawmakers in Augusta to advocate for a measure that could help protect employees in our schools, while also working to stop dangerous behavior.
The Act to Address Dangerous Behavior in the Classroom requires a school administrative unit to immediately investigate allegations of violent behavior by a student against a public school employee and, if an allegation is substantiated, to institute an action plan to avoid future violent behavior. Both a local union representative and the injured educator, if any, must be part of the creation of the individualized response plan to avoid future dangerous behavior, which may include, but is not limited to:
- Minimizing suspension and expulsion of the student.
- Prioritizing counseling and guidance services for the student and educators.
- Providing positive behavioral interventions and supports and supports designed to address the consequences of trauma in the individual and training for the student and educators.
- Restorative practices.
- Training for public school employees who interact with the student.
- Provision of adequate staffing and professional development necessary to implement the plan.
The law goes one step further to help protect an injured staff member stating that school districts are prohibited from counting any time away from work due to an injury resulting from violent behavior against a public school employee’s accrued sick leave.
MEA understands this crisis of violence in our schools should unite educators, students, families, and politicians around the common goal of ensuring that our public schools are the safest, healthiest, and most just places in our communities. The Union will continue to work towards that goal this school year, and beyond.
