A recent survey has revealed a disturbing trend in Quebec’s education sector. Over 90% of Quebec teachers have faced violence on the job, according to a union survey. The survey, conducted by a Quebec teachers’ union, uncovered alarming instances of both physical and psychological abuse experienced by educators in the province.
Disturbing Findings of Violence Against Teachers
The Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE), a prominent teachers’ union in Quebec, shared the distressing findings of their member survey on Monday. The study found that a majority of the participating teachers were subjected to varying degrees of violence in their workplaces. “We are here to teach, not to be beaten up,” stated Catherine Renaud, a vice-president of the FAE, highlighting the urgent need to address this issue.
Types of Violence Reported
The survey findings were quite shocking, with 81% of the respondents claiming to be victims of psychological or verbal abuse. The survey also found that 63% of the participants had experienced physical violence, while nearly 11% reported incidents of sexual violence. Teachers from every educational level, from pre-kindergarten to adult education, reported instances of violence, with the nature of the violence varying across different age groups.
Violence in Early Education
Surprisingly, a significant amount of physical violence was reported at the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten levels. As per the findings, 85% of teachers at these levels reported being hit, 75% claimed to have been injured, and 65% stated they had been pushed around. The dismissive attitude towards these incidents, often dismissed as harmless actions by young children, was also a cause of concern for the educators.
Violence in Higher Education
As for older students, the nature of violence reported was more psychological and verbal. The survey showed that 81% of high school teachers had faced such abuse. In vocational and adult education settings, bullying emerged as a significant issue. Despite a slight decrease in threats and intimidation, incidents of hitting and injuries were on the rise.
Impact on Teachers and the Need for Support
The repercussions of this violence are significant, with teachers reporting stress, loss of sleep, decreased self-esteem, and even considering leaving the profession. The FAE suggests that teachers need more support staff, especially those specialized in dealing with disruptive students or those having difficulty integrating. The survey collected responses from over 2,443 teachers out of the union’s 65,000 members across Quebec’s major cities.
Calling for Action
The FAE is now urging the Education Minister Sonia LeBel to intervene and collaborate with them to address these pressing issues. The union stresses the right of teachers to work in a violence-free environment and deems the recurring violence in teachers’ daily lives as absolutely unacceptable.
The survey was conducted online in April and May 2025, and although the Canadian Research Insights Council states that online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error due to non-random sampling, the results have nonetheless shed light on a critical issue that warrants immediate attention and action.
