Victoria teachers log 21 attacks a day, and most stop reporting them

An average of 21 student-on-staff violent incidents happen every day in the Greater Victoria School District, according to a report from the Greater Victoria Teachers' Association.

The report pulls from more than 6,000 violent-incident reports the union obtained through a freedom-of-information request, plus a survey of district teachers. Of those who responded, 95% said they experienced violence in the classroom in the past year, and 87% said it has increased over their careers. Association president Carolyn Howe says the incidents are mostly elementary and middle-schoolers who don't have the skills to handle intense frustration, and they call for supports, not discipline.

One of the report's authors, Tara Ehrcke, says many teachers have stopped filing incident reports because nothing changes when they do. WorkSafeBC claims tied to violence in the district hit 52 in 2025, up 37% since 2019.

Both SD61 and the Ministry of Education said they need more time to review the report before responding. The district said its top priority is the safety of students and staff, and pointed to a long-standing Violence Prevention Program.