Scratching, hitting and biting are common occurrences in Greater Victoria classrooms, according to Amy Read, a kindergarten teacher at Quadra Elementary School.

Dealing with violence in classrooms can be stressful and challenging, where kids cry, pull their hair and throw scissors. It is an unmanageable situation, said Read.

害羞草研究所淚t feels like the system is crumbling around us. And no one really cares,害羞草研究所� she said.

Read had approached the Greater Victoria School District about this in a presentation to the board on April 4. Not a lot has changed, according to Read.

It was not Read害羞草研究所檚 initial vision when she started to teach. Still, since she began teaching at Quadra Elementary, her determination to try to fix the problem of violence in classrooms has strengthened.

害羞草研究所淚 feel the disparity so strongly that it just makes me frustrated that some kids are not getting their educational needs met or their mental health needs met.害羞草研究所�

A lot of these teachers who have to deal with violence in their kindergarten classes are ready to look for work in other industries, Read said.

It will also make the current education assistant shortage and teacher shortage a much bigger problem than it already is, she said.

害羞草研究所淧eople only care about the education system when they have kids. And so teachers are stretched so thin and very ready to leave.害羞草研究所�

This is not a problem that is exclusive to Quadra Elementary. It is happening across B.C., said Read.

When describing how her teaching day unfolds, the description is not one of tranquillity and calm. Instead, it sounds closer to the duties a police officer might have to carry out.

害羞草研究所淭here are times where I am blocking students from attacking each other, putting my body in between them, so then I might get hurt or pushed down.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎 lot of our kids are ripping down our bulletin boards in our hallways, throwing chairs, throwing scissors, throwing books.害羞草研究所�

When first dealing with the issue of safety in her classroom, Read said to her students, 害羞草研究所淵ou are safe. You害羞草研究所檙e OK.害羞草研究所�

But the reality is that they are not safe and not OK, she said. 害羞草研究所淚 started to tell them that the teachers are keeping you safe, but that is not entirely possible.害羞草研究所�

As many of us know, it is in these early fragile years when a child害羞草研究所檚 life will almost be predetermined by what happens to them during this time, she said. Witness violence or be subjected to violence. The child has a much higher chance of becoming violent as they grow older.

害羞草研究所淲hen I drive down Pandora Avenue, all I think about are the kids in our school because I know it starts now. This is when we can reach the families. This is when we can give them the support they need.害羞草研究所�

If these children do not have their needs met while at school, they have less of a chance of making it in the adult world, she said.

The solution would be for more education assistants to be available at the start of the school year, as it is the shortage of these essential classroom helpers that can make all the difference.

害羞草研究所淚 had children bolting from the property and attacking each other. And every time I said it was unsafe, the answer was, we don害羞草研究所檛 have any other adults,害羞草研究所� Read said.

There are hardly any education assistants available, Read said, and a school cannot just decide not to open that day because there is insufficient staff.

The levels of violence that can be seen at kindergarten can be the most extreme, Read said, as these young children don害羞草研究所檛 have the skills or capacity to regulate their emotions.

Read said that she loves her students and that walking away from them is not an option, so raising awareness about what happens in kindergarten classes is crucial.

The Greater Victoria School District website does outline what happens when a child is being violent or experiencing violence. It states that a student violence threat risk assessment needs to be initiated.

At the April 4 meeting, Superintendent Deb Whitten said principals and vice-principals reach out to parents to discuss what needs students entering the school systems might have.

害羞草研究所淎ll of this is meant to create a supportive system from the beginning,害羞草研究所� said Whitten.

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害羞草研究所淲e suggest support is put in early, as classes form and as teachers get to know their students. Proactive and preventive is the aim.害羞草研究所�

Read said that this is not a parenting problem, as when she approaches a parent about what is happening in her classroom, the parent often wants to try and help fix the situation.

害羞草研究所淧arents are also so overwhelmed that we害羞草研究所檝e reached a point where everyone struggles in all realms of their life.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he parents are sad. And they害羞草研究所檙e sorry, like I害羞草研究所檝e had so many parents say, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 so sorry.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

It is not their fault, she said.

害羞草研究所淚t is because the education system is not supporting their child. And it breaks my heart.害羞草研究所�