Panel hears bullying is a 'significant problem' at HWDSB schools, makes 10 recommendations

A review panel set up following the death of Devan Selvey has made 10 recommendations for ways Hamilton'spublic school board can improve how it handles bullying.

Members of the Safe Schools Review panel released theirdraft recommendations for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) on Monday,followingmore than a dozen sessions with specific groups within the school community and an online survey that went out to students, parents and caregivers.

The panel was announced on Nov. 12, 2019 afterSelvey, 14, was stabbed to death behind Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School on Oct. 7.

Sixtyper cent of thestudents it heard from experienced bullying of some kind pre-COVID-19, with 20 per cent reporting they were bullied frequently, reads the report.

"Bullying is a significant problem in HWDSB schools that affects multiple demographic groups andidentities," reads a portiontitled "What we heard and learned."

The panel also says parents who shared concerns that the board's existing bullying policies and procedures are applied inconsistently, pointing to "lack of action" and "poor follow through" as problems.

Seventy-one per cent of staff who were surveyed reportedwitnessing frequent student bullying in the last school year (pre-COVID-19), according to the panel's findings.

The draft recommendationsalso statethat students who identify as gender nonconforming and LGBTQ were particularly vulnerable.

"Inconsistent processes andpoor communication" around bullying as well as a "culture of fear" that normalizes it were also identified.

"Our goal is that our recommendations, informed by lived experience and insights shared with us, and by lessons drawn from research and best practices, will serve as a guide for HWDSB and beyond to enact sustainable changes that will guarantee ...rights for every child," reads a statement in a media release that's attributed to panelistsDr. Jean Clinton, Brenda Flaherty and Dr. Gary Warner.

"In this spirit, we dedicate this report to the memory of Devan Bracci-Selvey whose tragic death propelled this deeper look into the broader concern of bullying in HWDSB," it adds.

The recommendations are as follows:

1. Elevate student voice, agency, leadership andownership.
2. Review special education plan and reflect upon impact of self-contained programs on student belonging andinclusion.
3. Improve communication with andmeaningfully engage parents.
4. Equip schools andstaff with tools andresources for effective response; utilize PREVNet tool kit.
5. Review existing bullying policies andprocedures through lens of equity, anti-racism andanti-oppression.
6. Address inconsistent adherence to existing bullying prevention andintervention policies, procedures andguidelines.
7. Establish clear vision for bullying prevention andintervention as well as positive school climate work, develop core organizational values andincorporate safe schools outcome targets.
8. Review leadership development strategy; incorporate competencies that enable a whole child, student-centred environment.
9. Strengthen andbuild upon community partnerships; leverage community resources andexpertise.
10. Seek commitment from Ministry of Education to provide school boards with supporting conditions that prioritize Safe andAccepting Schools.

The panel has also put out a call to action that all levels of government and communities prioritize the well-being of children and young people as well as adopt a "whole child approach to education."

Manny Figueiredo, the HWDSB's director of education, said feedback on the draft recommendations will be important.

"As a Board, we appreciate all that the Safe Schools Review Panel has done to provide authentic consultation and timely results to help all students and staff feel safe, supported and accepted especially those who are often marginalized," he saidin a media release.

The panel's draft is being shared so students, staff and other members of the community can weigh in on its recommendations and highlight any areas that may have been overlooked.

Virtual feedback sessions are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

People can also share their input through an online engagement tool calledThoughtexchangeor by emailing safeschoolsreview@outlook.com. The deadline for feedback is Dec. 17 at 4 p.m.

The panel's final report will be submitted to HWDSB trustees on Jan. 25. The board will then begin to lay out plans to address and implement its findings.