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

An updated version of Nova Scotia's student code of conduct has been delayed once again and the unions representing teachers and school support staff are becoming increasingly frustrated.

In January, Education Minister Brendan Maguire assured Nova Scotians that an overhaul of the code of conduct for public schools would be ready and put into action in March. His predecessor, Becky Druhan, had ordered a review of the policy in October 2023 amid growing concerns about violence in schools. 

But as of mid-April, there is no clear timeline on when the new code will be released. 

Krista Higdon, a spokesperson for the Education Department, did not acknowledge CBC's request for an interview with Maguire, but she said in an email that "work is concluding to incorporate feedback into the updated code of conduct, and we look forward to releasing it."

In the meantime, she said, the current version remains in place to "help administrators and school staff identify and respond to unacceptable behaviours." 

After a June 2024 report by Auditor General Kim Adair found that school staff were not equipped to deal with rising rates of violent incidents, Druhan said a draft of the updated code of conduct would be ready for public consultation by September 2024. 

The department missed that deadline, but a working draft was ultimately made available to families and school communities in late October, and feedback was collected online. The document no longer exists on the province's website.

Peter Day, president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, said violence in schools remains a top concern for the union and its members. 

"Teachers are feeling overwhelmed. They're fearing for the safety of themselves and, more importantly, their students," he said.

"Addressing school violence is more than just words, and we need to see real action." 

Nelson Scott is president of CUPE Local 5050 and chair of the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions, which includes presidents of CUPE locals representing school support staff across the province. 

He said he often gets calls at night from members who express not wanting to go to work because they've been slapped, pinched, bitten, kicked or verbally abused by students. 

"The state of violence is still outrageous," he said. 

He said his members have been patiently awaiting the updated code of conduct because they hope it will paint a clearer picture of what behaviour should and should not be tolerated.

"We need to have things in black and white," said Scott. 

One of the auditor general's criticisms was that the code of conduct does not include a clear definition of what is meant by violence in schools. Instead, the department uses the term "unacceptable behaviours." 

Adair recommended that an updated code should also offer more detailed guidance for educators on how to manage these behaviours and what to do when they occur. 

Amy Hunt, chair of the Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia, said the code of conduct is a "really important" document, and therefore it's important to get it right. 

"If that does take a little bit more time to do well, then we support that," she said. 

Hunt said although her members are eager to see the updated version, the code of conduct is only one piece of the puzzle to ensure schools are a safe place to work and learn. 

She pointed to the inclusive education policy and strategies to prevent violent behaviour before it occurs in the first place. 

Day added that more staff and resources are needed — in addition to the 47 specialized staff hired by the department in October — so that teachers have more time to develop better relationships with their students. 

Along with consulting the public, the Education Department has received feedback from the NSTU, CUPE and the administrators' association on what they'd like to see in the updated policy.

However, none of the groups have a sense of when the final code of conduct will be released and implemented in schools.