Video showing alleged bullying of 9-year-old leads to calls for change in P.E.I. schools

Yahoo

2 days ago

Alex Butler is worried about what the upcoming school year in Prince Edward Island will have in store for his nine-year-old daughter.
The Kinkora man said his child is being violently bullied and that no one in the province's school system is doing anything about it.
"It's not just my kid," he told CBC News. "I've heard stories of other kids … Island-wide. This is not just an isolated incident to our school.
"The whole system's messed up."
Butler decided to speak out after a graphic video was posted to social media showing some of what happened to his daughter back on July 28 at a home in the Prince County community just steps away from his own.
Another child can be seen taunting and kicking the girl and pulling her hair while she sobs.
Butler said the alleged bully, also 9, did send a letter of apology, but he's not convinced it will end his daughter's torment when she returns to Somerset Consolidated School in the fall.
He said the issues between the two children began at the school. He worries they'll carry over.
"No matter if it happened on summer hours, this still stemmed from an issue that started at school that was ignored by both the school and the [P.E.I. Public Schools Branch], so at the end of the day this falls on them," Butler said.
'Hard to watch'
Last year, the results of an extensive survey on youth health on P.E.I. suggested that bullying is a particular problem for students in grades 7 to 12 — and that the problem is worse here than elsewhere in the country.
The annual COMPASS survey found 31 per cent of students had been bullied in the previous 30 days, compared to a national average of 19 per cent.
P.E.I. is one of five provinces that participates in the survey, which is developed and delivered by the University of Waterloo. In 2024, the survey included 35 schools, and 79 per cent of students at those schools participated.
P.E.I. Green Party Leader Matt MacFarlane, who's also the MLA representing Borden-Kinkora, called the video taken of Butler's daughter "hard to watch."
He said school staff need more resources to deal with bullying, pointing out that many school administrators can spend just as much time teaching classes instead of creating more comfortable environments for students.
"Our party has called in the legislature for enhanced supports, for classroom supports, behavioural counselling, behavioural assistance," MacFarlane said.
"Our educational assistants are overworked and under-recognized for the role they play, and oftentimes … schools are sharing guidance counsellors, and that doesn't help address the problem of bullying on the ground."
MacFarlane added that the Public Schools Branch should create a system that tracks bullying incidents in all Island schools.
That's a system that Marv Bernstein, P.E.I.'s child and youth advocate, would also like to see implemented sooner than later.
He, too, has concerns about the Kinkora video and the broader issue of bullying in Island schools.
"I've seen the video, and it certainly is distressing," Bernstein said. "You don't like to see any child placed in those circumstances. We're aware that there are broader concerns from other families who have children in that school.
"Parents have said to us they don't feel believed, they feel frustrated, they don't know where to turn…. We feel as though it's important for some concrete actions to be taken."
The P.E.I. RCMP wouldn't do an interview, but said in a statement that the Criminal Code of Canada dictates that charges can't be laid against children under the age of 12.
"If evidence supports an offence on an accused under 12 then other resources such as parents, schools and Child and Family Services are engaged as appropriate," the statement reads.
"Contacting police in situations of a crime is important as police can make the connections to other social support agencies to address these situations that are suitable. It also helps to inform police about issues that may be going on in our communities."
Province committed to reporting program
In a statement, the P.E.I. Public Schools Branch said it realizes bullying online or in the community can significantly affect students and their families.
"If a connection to the school environment is found when it occurs outside regular school year or grounds, the school may use measures as outlined in the School Code of Conduct, the PSB Safe and Caring Learning Environments Policy, and/or the Education Act," reads the statement.
"These may include suspension, restorative practices, behaviour plans, or referrals to counselling or support services."
During this year's spring legislature sitting, Education and Early Years Minister Robin Croucher committed to implementing a new reporting program for bullying in all Island schools.
It's not clear when that program will be implemented, but it can't come soon enough for Butler and his daughter.
When asked if he felt comfortable with his child going back to school in September, Butler's answer was direct:
"No, not at all."