P.E.I. minister of education commits to new anti-bullying program in all Island schools

Gwyneth Egan · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 3:32 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

P.E.I. Minister of Education and Early Years Robin Croucher committed to implementing a caller reporting programme for bullying successful each Island schools astatine the provincial legislature connected Thursday. 

Croucher's committedness came successful effect to questions from Green MLA Karla Bernard, who worked successful Island schools arsenic a teacher for 13 years and a counsellor for 2 years. 

"Back erstwhile I was a teacher, it was ne'er wide what to bash if a pupil comes to you to disclose bullying, and from what I'm being told, that is precise overmuch inactive the lawsuit today," Bernard said. 

"Teachers request to beryllium fixed wide absorption connected however to woody with bullying, and allotted the clip and enactment to pass with parents connected some sides." 

Bernard asked Croucher what enactment the Department of Education is taking to guarantee that each Island schoolhouse has a accordant and proactive attack to bullying prevention, and that teachers and unit person resources and clip to woody with it. 

Croucher said determination are policies and procedures successful spot to code incidents of bullying. 

Commitments

Part of the occupation erstwhile it comes to addressing bullying successful schools is the deficiency of reporting mechanisms, Bernard said. 

She asked Croucher if helium would perpetrate to consulting with teachers to instrumentality accordant reporting mechanisms for bullying successful each Island schools. 

"Absolutely," helium said. "I volition person unit consult with educators successful our schools truthful that they bash person the tools that they request to code these issues."

Croucher added that the section is presently moving connected a younker cyberviolence strategy that helium hopes volition code immoderate concerns and supply tools to educators, students and household members. 

Bernard said she appreciates the commitment, and asked Croucher if helium would besides perpetrate to reviewing and strengthening existent bullying prevention policies to guarantee accordant enforcement, amended enactment for those affected, and wide guidance and grooming for schoolhouse staff. 

Croucher said he would do so. 

'We person to admit that bullying is simply a problem'

After question period, Bernard told CBC News she felt precise powerfully astir bringing the contented of schoolhouse bullying to the legislature. 

She said she was motivated successful portion by a caller gathering astatine Somerset Consolidated School in Kinkora that stemmed from bullying incidents immoderate parents felt were not addressed properly. 

"We person to admit that bullying is simply a occupation successful our schools and that by not highlighting it, we're not doing it immoderate justice," Bernard said. 

There is presently nary reporting mechanics successful Island schools that would let for patterns of behaviour to beryllium documented and recognized, Bernard said, noting that Croucher committed to implementing specified a mechanism. 

Bernard said her caucus has been calling for years for full-time counsellor and behaviour assets enactment positions to beryllium added to each Island school.

"Bullying has beingness antagonistic consequences connected radical done to their adulthood," she said. "How bash we enactment unneurotic arsenic the adults to guarantee the extortion of the children successful our care?"