[ShepherdsDog]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.2858002

$1:

A teacher from northern Saskatchewan is speaking out about violent students who return to the classroom after serving time.

Janice Wilson has been an arts teacher at the only school in La Loche, Sask., a village 600 kilometres north of Saskatoon, for 12 years. In 2006 one of her students tried to stab her with scissors.


"That student got 10 months," she recalled. "And when he was released he was returned to the school and was put in my classroom."

Following another more recent encounter with a violent student, Wilson, 58, has been on sick leave.

"I left La Loche on June 20th, after an assault in my home by a student who forced his way in," Wilson told CBC News in a recent interview from Edmonton. She is staying there with supportive friends and is receiving counselling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.


Wilson said the teen, who had recently dropped out of school, threatened to kill her.

"[He] said to me, 'I have a knife. I am going to stab you. I'm going to kill you. And you will be dead, dead, dead,'" she said. He didn't stab her, but did steal her truck.

The ex-student, who was 18 at the time, was charged and given a three-year sentence. Wilson said she is fearful he may also return to school when he is released from prison.

Wilson believes the school system should put in place measures to avoid situations where offenders can be back in a classroom with their victims.

"There is a limited amount of teachers in La Loche, so you do end up with people who are violent back in the classroom," Wilson said. "So there's things like that, that need to change. And the thing is, those violent students know where you live ... and it's a small community. And I worry about my friends who are still there."

One of the joys of teaching in the bush, and why there is such a high turnover rate in 'northern' communities. Two years tends to be the average time teachers stay, much like RCMP and other professionals. Break ins, racism, threats of violence, apathy and other societal ills tends to make people despondent and give up.....a dose of reality tends to shatter the illusion that education will solve everything.

[DrCaleb]

I heard that this morning, and it's some screwed up stuff. Just another example that our system is not geared toward the victims of crime, but punishing the offender.

[ShepherdsDog]

Our entire view on access to schools is skewed too....education is everybody's right, but if you are interfering with others obtaining an education, or placing students and staff in danger than you need to receive your 'schooling/education' in a setting removed from others. The rights of those seeking an education should come first.

I work with the adult learners in our school, but they are kept separate from the other students. To date, all I've ever had is one student who has been told (NOT ASKED) to leave. The rest truly are interested in changing their lives, and the lives of their children by acquiring the minimal standard in education....some have even gone on to post secondary education. Every success coming from a culture of failure is a triumph.

[DrCaleb]

Totally agree there. If that guy gets out at 21, he shouldn't be allowed back to a public high school. It should be one of those 'adult' centers where he can finish high school.

If he finishes high school.

[Unsound]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

O

I work with the adult learners in our school, but they are kept separate from the other students. To date, all I've ever had is one student who has been told (NOT ASKED) to leave. The rest truly are interested in changing their lives, and the lives of their children by acquiring the minimal standard in education....some have even gone on to post secondary education. Every success coming from a culture of failure is a triumph.

Just wanna quote this to highlight it a little. Much respect to you and these students.
A high school diploma alone won't solve much, but it's a better start than just about anything else.