Frustration mounts over continued delays to Nova Scotia's updated student code of conduct

Celina Aalders · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 15, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

An updated mentation of Nova Scotia's pupil codification of behaviour has been delayed erstwhile again and the unions representing teachers and schoolhouse enactment unit are becoming progressively frustrated.

In January, Education Minister Brendan Maguire assured Nova Scotians that an overhaul of the codification of behaviour for nationalist schools would beryllium acceptable and enactment into enactment successful March. His predecessor, Becky Druhan, had ordered a reappraisal of the argumentation successful October 2023 amid increasing concerns astir unit successful schools. 

But arsenic of mid-April, determination is nary wide timeline connected erstwhile the caller codification volition beryllium released. 

Krista Higdon, a spokesperson for the Education Department, did not admit CBC's petition for an interrogation with Maguire, but she said successful an email that "work is concluding to incorporated feedback into the updated codification of conduct, and we look guardant to releasing it."

In the meantime, she said, the existent mentation remains successful spot to "help administrators and schoolhouse unit place and respond to unacceptable behaviours." 

After a June 2024 study by Auditor General Kim Adair recovered that schoolhouse staff were not equipped to woody with rising rates of convulsive incidents, Druhan said a draught of the updated codification of behaviour would beryllium acceptable for nationalist consultation by September 2024. 

The section missed that deadline, but a moving draught was yet made disposable to families and schoolhouse communities successful precocious October, and feedback was collected online. The papers nary longer exists connected the province's website.

Peter Day, president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, said unit successful schools remains a apical interest for the national and its members. 

"Teachers are feeling overwhelmed. They're fearing for the information of themselves and, much importantly, their students," helium said. "Addressing schoolhouse unit is much than conscionable words, and we request to spot existent action." 

Nelson Scott is president of CUPE Local 5050 and seat of the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions, which includes presidents of CUPE locals representing schoolhouse enactment unit crossed the province. 

He said helium often gets calls astatine nighttime from members who explicit not wanting to spell to enactment due to the fact that they've been slapped, pinched, bitten, kicked or verbally abused by students. 

"The authorities of unit is inactive outrageous," helium said. 

He said his members person been patiently awaiting the updated codification of behaviour due to the fact that they anticipation it volition overgarment a clearer representation of what behaviour should and should not beryllium tolerated.

"We request to person things successful achromatic and white," said Scott. 

One of the auditor general's criticisms was that the codification of behaviour does not see a wide explanation of what is meant by unit successful schools. Instead, the section uses the word "unacceptable behaviours." 

Adair recommended that an updated codification should besides connection much elaborate guidance for educators connected however to negociate these behaviours and what to bash erstwhile they occur. 

Amy Hunt, seat of the Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia, said the codification of behaviour is simply a "really important" document, and truthful it's important to get it right. 

"If that does instrumentality a small spot much clip to bash well, past we enactment that," she said. 

Hunt said though her members are anxious to spot the updated version, the codification of behaviour is lone 1 portion of the puzzle to guarantee schools are a harmless spot to enactment and learn. 

She pointed to the inclusive acquisition policy and strategies to forestall convulsive behaviour earlier it occurs successful the archetypal place. 

Day added that much unit and resources are needed — successful summation to the 47 specialized staff hired by the section successful October — so that teachers person much clip to make amended relationships with their students. 

Along with consulting the public, the Education Department has received feedback from the NSTU, CUPE and the administrators' relation connected what they'd similar to spot successful the updated policy. However, nary of the groups person a consciousness of erstwhile the last codification of behaviour volition beryllium released and implemented successful schools. 

MORE TOP STORIES