Quebec's Educational Ombudsperson Calls for Action on School Violence
In recent days, the issue of bullying and violence in all its forms has entered the public conversation. As Quebec's educational ombudsperson, I am choosing to step into this discussion to share my perspective.
A Troubling Trend in School Complaints
In my recently tabled second annual report, I highlighted a troubling trend: bullying and violence, whether physical, verbal, or sexual, continue to make up a significant portion of the cases handled by our regional offices. For the 2024–2025 school year, these situations accounted for roughly 20 percent of all complaints and reports we processed, mirroring the previous year's figures.
To be clear, schools on the whole are generally free of violence. However, the violence that does occur in certain schools creates a climate of insecurity that undermines the well-being of everyone involved. It's a reality we must not only acknowledge but actively address.
The Role of Parents and Educators
Change starts at home. Raising a child is, first and foremost, a parental responsibility. As parents, we have a duty to support our children and do our best to serve as positive role models, using the tools we already have and seeking out those we need.
But educating a child is just as important, and school staff play an essential, complementary role with parents in this process. This job—to instruct, socialize, and prepare students for the future—is a pillar of Quebec society that must be championed, never abandoned. Our regional student ombudspersons across Quebec stand ready to support these efforts by promoting best practices and helping manage these difficult situations.
Focusing on Student Rights and Safety
We must never lose sight of the very purpose of the Education Act. As stated in its first section, our goal is to mobilize the entire educational community in the best interests of students and their success. This means providing high-quality educational services and ensuring access to a healthy, safe learning environment that helps students realize their full potential and shapes them into responsible citizens.
I want to raise these issues because I've been struck by the silence regarding student rights in what has been said and written in recent days. This is particularly true concerning the rights of students with disabilities or social, emotional, or learning challenges and the services they require. I was deeply troubled to hear the term student aggressors used to describe them and many other children with special needs.
Proactive Measures and Anti-Bullying Plans
Bullying and other forms of violence existed when today's parents and grandparents were in school. Is it more prevalent now? Are the incidents becoming more severe? Or are we simply more aware and quicker to speak up?
These are all valid questions, but in my view, they distract us from the core issue: providing every student with a healthy and safe school environment. To achieve this, I believe we must take swift, coordinated action when violence occurs. But we must also be proactive by addressing early warning signs as they emerge and, better yet, by fostering positive behavior from the start.
Our schools already have some tools to help manage incidents of violence. It's up to everyone in the educational community, including administrators, staff, students, and parents, to be familiar with these tools and to adopt, embrace, and use them.
In addition to promoting respectful and caring relationships, every school, public and private, has a legal obligation to have an Anti-Bullying and Violence Plan. When this plan is properly developed, updated, and rolled out in collaboration with the entire community, it becomes a powerful tool for education, prevention, and intervention. It enables the educational community to identify emerging or persistent vulnerabilities and establish clear protocols for intervening when violence occurs and providing support and supervision for victims, perpetrators, and witnesses alike.
When a plan is adapted to its specific environment and applied consistently, students find it much easier to embody those values in their daily lives.
Challenges and the Need for Improvement
Yet, in a large proportion of the investigations we conduct following acts of violence or bullying, we find flaws in how these plans are developed or rolled out. Too often, they are not used effectively—or quickly enough. I will say it again: this plan is a powerful tool that every school in Quebec must fully embrace.
What do young people think of the current debate on school violence? Their voices are missing from the public conversation, with the notable exception of a student petition in Granby, which should be commended.
In the current and future discussions, I ask that we never lose sight of what I believe is the central, and too often overlooked, issue: prioritizing students' best interests by ensuring they are protected and supported—whether they are the victims or the perpetrators.
Only by working together, and by including every student, will we be able to preserve—or create—healthy learning environments where everyone can learn and thrive in a safe, caring, and respectful space.
Jean-François Bernier is the head of Quebec's Protecteur national de l'élève (PNE), which is tasked with ensuring that the rights of students and their parents are respected.
