A recent labour board decision reveals the challenges faced by educators supporting a student with complex needs in a New Brunswick middle school, prompting a call for urgent system improvements.
Inclusive education, or inclusion, has been a cornerstone of New Brunswick's education system since 1986. However, a recent labour board decision detailing the experience of a boy during his middle school years paints a stark picture of the system's struggles. The student's journey, characterized by conflict with educators and isolation from peers, is at the heart of a grievance filed by the New Brunswick Teachers ' Federation.
The union alleges that the provincial government failed to provide a safe working environment for staff from 2019 to 2021.The student, who has several complex conditions, including autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, spent much of his middle school years in conflict with educators and in isolation from his peers. He followed a partial-day plan that saw him attend half a day or less, sometimes in seclusion. This situation deeply impacted the well-being of the school staff. Multiple education staff were physically harmed and threatened by the student. Over four years, hold-and-secure orders were implemented twice as a result of his behaviour, meaning the doors to the school were locked and students were not permitted to leave.The school was aware that the student had a personalized learning plan for autism spectrum disorder when he began middle school in 2019, but it was unaware of his history of violent behavior. In October, arbitrator Trisha Perry ruled in favor of the federation, prompting the province and the Anglophone South School District to seek a judicial review with Saint John's Court of King's Bench. Documents filed by the province in early January initiated this review. The arbitrator's decision highlights the student's numerous instances of aggression, including being physically violent, making threats, and engaging in inappropriate touching towards staff members. Despite the school's repeated requests for support and the student's subsequent diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the situation continued to deteriorate. The case raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the current system in supporting both students with complex needs and the educators who work with them
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION NEW BRUNSWICK TEACHERS STUDENT VIOLENCE SUPPORT LABOR BOARD JUDICIAL REVIEW
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