School violence: Toronto principals reluctant to report fights

From the Toronto Star (Principals balk at reporting fights by Kristen Rushowy, June 18, 2008):

Ontario's public school principals don't want to be forced to report altercations between students, saying it would be "time-consuming, inappropriate and costly."

"While reports to the police should be made" in cases of physical assault where a student requires medical attention, among other situations, "involving the police in school life is a decision best left to educators who know students the best," says yesterday's letter to the education minister from Lisa Vincent, president of the Ontario Principals' Council.

But Tory MPP Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora) says the province needs "the force and effect of law which provides for consequences when the protocol is not followed."

Klees has been pressing the provincial government to close the loophole in the Child and Family Services Act, which mandates reporting of adult-on-student crime or suspicion of it, but not student-on-student.

The move comes after a Grade 1 boy in a York Region Catholic school was allegedly whipped by two Grade 8 boys in a school washroom. The school's principal did not report the incident to police nor to the boy's parents, who found out from their older child.

The parents called police immediately, and two youths have since been charged with assault and assault with a weapon.

[. . .]

Read all of Kristen Rushowy's article.

See also:

Ontario Safe Schools Act - Liberals plan to abolish zero-tolerance policy. Too many black students being expelled

Toronto schools - "The escalation of guns and violence has made lockdown practices as necessary a routine as recess"

Trinidad-born killer apologizes for brutally murdering white student

Are teachers losing control of some Toronto schools? Are gangs starting to take over?