Safer Schools, Stronger Communities.
United For Safety
Creating Secure and Supportive Schools Together
Learning and working conditions in Ontario’s public schools have grown untenable. Violence in schools is a serious and growing issue facing students and education staff.
Our communities, our schools, are lacking the resources and tools they need to address the issue of violence in schools.
All students education workers, and teachers have the right to safe, respectful learning and working environments. The Safer Schools Now campaign aims to tackle the critical and growing issue of violence against teachers and education workers in Ontario schools.
66 %
of education workers have experienced an act of physical force at school.
Examining Alarming Trends
of OSSTF/FEESO education workers reported there are more incidents of violence in schools since they started working in the system
of education workers have experienced an act of physical force within the school
of education workers believe the severity has increased
Research conducted by Strategic Communciations Inc. (Stratcom), surveying all OSSTF/FEESO members.
Want to help?
Take Action for Safer Schools Now!
The Safer Schools campaign, led by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), aims to tackle the critical and growing issue of violence against teachers and education workers in Ontario schools. Through comprehensive research and advocacy, the campaign seeks to enhance the safety and well-being of educators and students alike, fostering a positive and secure learning environment for all.
Contact Your MPP
Tell your MPP that you want safer schools in Ontario with the click of a button! Use our tool below to send a letter we drafted or tweak it and make it your own.
We can make schools safer by letting our leaders know that we want them to implement four straightforward solutions to curb violence and restore safety, including tools that prevent violence from occurring in the first place and addressing violence in the event it occurs.
Share Your Story
Record a video or write about your experience with violence in Ontario’s school system. We will not share your video publicly without contacting you in advance.
Space
Space
Personal Narratives
Stories You've Shared
Advocating for Action
OSSTF/FEESO’s Plan to Address Safety And Supports In Our Schools
Emergency Safe School Funding
Advocate for the Ontario government to allocate Planning Provision funding to create a new Emergency Safe School Fund. This fund will help bring in more qualified staff, such as professional student services personnel (PSSPs) and educational assistants.
Stay and Learn Initiative
Promote a dedicated tuition waiver program to attract students into post-secondary education programs for occupations experiencing shortages, similar to initiatives in healthcare and long-term care.
Demand Transparency
Call for the Ford government to release data on serious student incident reports, risk assessments, and the Ministry of Labour’s workplace violence inspection blitz conducted in early 2023.
Safe School Action Table
Urge the government to develop a Safe School Action Plan, including the creation of a Community Stakeholder Action Table that involves OSSTF/FEESO and other education unions.
About US
Who We Are
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) is a union representing nearly 60,000 members across Ontario. Our membership is composed of public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, early childhood educators, university support staff, and other education professionals. We are dedicated to protecting and enhancing public education in Ontario, advocating for safe and equitable working conditions for our members, and fostering an inclusive and supportive educational environment for all students. Through research, advocacy, and community engagement, OSSTF/FEESO strives to ensure that every educational worker is respected and every student is given the opportunity to succeed.
