SASKATOON, Sask. — With the new school year heading into its second week, the province’s education support workers are again calling for the government to address violence their members experience and the extra tasks they need to do for students with medical conditions, something most are not trained to do.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees-Saskatchewan is again calling for stronger provincial standards, training and protections as its members face increasingly complex responsibilities while working with some of the province’s most vulnerable students.
CUPE-Saskatchewan Education Workers Steering Committee chairperson Karla Sastaunik said workers should not be expected to take on responsibilities such as administering care to students with medical conditions without adequate training and support.
“Caring about students should never mean being expected to perform medical procedures without proper training, clear direction, support or protection,” said Sastaunik, who heads about 7,000 education support workers in the province.
Sastaunik also brought up safety concerns, with some incidents involving violence and aggressive behaviour by students toward education workers. This issue requires more than expecting individual workers to manage difficult circumstances on their own.
Two years ago, although the act of violence was not directed toward a school staff member, a student at Evan Hardy Collegiate set her classmate on fire. A school staff member intervened and was also injured while putting out the flames.
She said the committee is calling for consistent provincial standards and policies, training delivered by qualified professionals, clear documentation and direction, accountability and appropriate liability protection for education workers.
Sastaunik added that these measures protect both workers and students, since the issue also affects the availability of trained staff in schools. She said some education assistants do not even receive basic first-aid training, despite working with students who may face choking risks, seizures or diabetes.
According to Sastaunik, education assistants can be hired with a Grade 12 education, while additional training varies between school divisions. She said the provincial government needs to establish standards and ensure resources are available to meet them.
Sastaunik is calling on Education Minister Everett Hindley to respond to the concerns they raised, adding that the issue is no longer about whether the problem exists, since everyone knows it exists. Rather, the question is whether this government is willing to provide the resources they need.
Important role
The government, through the Education Ministry, said in a statement that it recognizes the important role education support workers play in helping students with medical needs safely participate in school, adding that students' and staff members’ well-being remains its priority, a value shared by all education workers across the province.
“The Government of Saskatchewan has a policy requiring school divisions to support students with medical conditions through coordinated planning, appropriate training and collaboration with families and health-care professionals,” said the statement.
The government, however, added that school divisions are also responsible for ensuring their staff who support students with medical needs receive proper training and guidance based on the specific medical procedures they may be required to perform to maintain a safe environment for everyone.
The statement said that school divisions assess individual student needs and make operational decisions, including staffing.
“These decisions are made locally to ensure flexibility and responsiveness to community needs and in the best interests of students' overall health and safety. The government remains committed to working with school divisions, education partners and health-care professionals to ensure safe, effective and sustainable practices in Saskatchewan classrooms,” said the government.
