The Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association (NLTA) — the union that represents more than 6,500 members, including teachers, in this province — is sounding the alarm about the “hidden reality in our schools,” and other key issues, which, it says, are impacting students, teachers and other school staff.

In a news conference this morning at the NLTA in St. John’, NLTA president Trent Langdon told reporters the increasing frequency and severity of violent incidents in schools, large class sizes, the complexities of students’ needs and the short of resources are causing difficult working conditions for teachers —many of whom are feeling burnout and ignored by government.

The rise in violence has been the most concerning trend, Langdon said. Aggression and violence among students, and many directed towards teachers and school staff, is occurring too often, he said.

In the fall of 2023, the NLTA submitted Access to Information (ATIPP) requests to the then Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, the Conseil Scolaire Francophone Provincial, the RNC and the RCMP, which confirmed the rise in violence in schools. The data reveals an increase in the average number of reported violent incidents per day in schools, from 20 per day in the 2018-19 school year to 29 per day in just the first two months of 2023-24.

“The trend is troubling …,” Langdon said. “This is a disturbing glimpse into the future of students and teachers.”

He said the NLTA also hears repeatedly from teachers who say their work environments are becoming less conducive to fostering and supporting student achievement and overall well-being. A lack of substitute teachers has exacerbated many of these issues, he said.

Of the over 2,200 teachers who participated in the Teachers Think Tank questionnaire last month, 78 per cent indicated the demands of their working conditions are negatively impacting their mental health and wellness, and over 86 per cent said they have experienced symptoms of burnout.

Langdon said the provincial government is not making education a priority and that the provincial Budget was a key turning point.

“While the announcement of some additional supports immediately following the Think Tank gave us reason to hope that decision makers were listening, Budget 2024 has demonstrated the opposite,” Langdon said.

To help bring needed attention to these issues, the NLTA is launching a public awareness campaign, entitled, ‘Not Okay.’

“Large class sizes, violence in schools, teacher allocations and other supports that are not adequate to meet complex student needs are ‘not okay,'” Langdon said.

The group is inviting parents and guardians to join the association in speaking up for their children and demanding better, safer teaching and learning conditions from government.