The teacher’s union is extremely concerned with the escalation of violence involving students, both in, and outside the school setting.

NLTA President Trent Langdon has raised the issue before and says you don’t have to look very far for evidence that is reported more and more frequently.

Langdon says not only is it a school problem, but also a societal problem, and more needs to be done to address violence among young people.

“We know full well,” says Langdon, “that it’s a situation where a lot of these families, a lot of these young people, don’t have the supports they need in the broader community. Whether it be through child protective agencies, or whether it be through social workers and so on.” Access to mental health services is also an important factor, Langdon says.