A 14-year-old Elgin County pupil has been arrested for allegedly bringing a BB gun to a highschool in St. Thomas, south of London, Ont.
On Tuesday, the highschool administration referred to as the St. Thomas Police Service (STPS) saying the accused presumably had a firearm. Officers discovered the teenager had introduced the weapon to highschool that day anticipating an altercation with fellow college students.
“It sounds actually scary for the opposite college students and the employees at that faculty,” stated John Bernans, a neighborhood chief with the Ontario Secondary Faculty Trainer’s Federation (OSSTF). In keeping with Bernans, three-quarters of his union native’s members report experiencing extra violence now than they did when their careers began.
“Violence has gotten worse for the reason that pandemic,” he stated.
St. Thomas police made an arrest after executing a search warrant in Elgin County on Wednesday with the assistance of the OPP Techniques & Rescue Unit, police stated. The firearm was discovered, seized and confirmed to be a BB gun.
The accused has been charged with pointing a firearm, uttering threats and failure to adjust to a probation order. They had been taken to police headquarters the place they had been processed and held for a morning courtroom look.
Police haven’t stated which faculty the accused attended.
Since early 2024, St. Thomas Police have charged or investigated a minimum of 11 college students for violent behaviour at native faculties.
Push for return of useful resource officers in faculties
“Since 2021, reported requires service to the STPS have risen by practically 55 per cent, with our officers attending faculties as soon as each two days,” stated STPS Chief Marc Roskamp in a press release.
“Violence in faculties are clearly turning into a worrisome development, with lecturers, dad and mom, elected officers and the police advocating for change and a return of the Faculty Useful resource Program (SRO) in some revised type.”
The Thames Valley District Faculty Board (TVDSB) paused its SRO program in 2021, and voted to maintain officers out of colleges in January 2024.
“Members of marginalized communities have expressed that they felt focused and intimidated by the SRO program,” stated Bernans. “I even have members who’ve expressed that they consider that police can play a task in bettering security in faculties whereas respecting the issues of these communities.”
Bernans stated he believes growing violence might be as a consequence of a lot of elements, however the stage of funding Ontario’s training system is receiving is not sufficient to cope with it.
“There are fewer adults in faculties than there was. That actually places all people in danger, having fewer adults within the constructing to assist assist college students and different employees,” Bernans added. “There is [also] an absence of of training employees to assist college students.”
Not too long ago, the OSSTF launched a marketing campaign to increase consciousness about points the union believes are contributing to violence and different points plaguing public training in Ontario.
Among the many suggestions are extra funding for certified employees, the event of an motion plan to make faculties safer, and the event of campaigns to create nonviolent faculty cultures, he stated.
