Never in my years working have I experienced a low staff morale (in the last 2 years )as at St. Anne’s. Staff are mentally and physically exhausted with little to no support from admin. There are far too many students in the school with no clear boundaries or consequences for misbehaviour. Which in turn puts staff in dangerous situations. Staff are beat up(one sent to hospital) because a dangerous situation was not made awareness to staff, slapped, hit, kicked, spit on, verbally abused…etc. Staff really do their best to provide each other with support when needed but there is a lot of segregation in the building, there’s no “team” playing. I truly think this is from admin not listening to the needs of staff. Things are not dealt with properly and in turn, people are hurt. It really feels like an unsafe place to work. Sad to say.

I have been an EA for 20 years. This job is not the same job it was 20 years ago. Over the last 5 years or so it has taken a downward turn. My stress level has skyrocketed! Just going into work is stressful because I never know what the day will hold. Less and less, I am helping students with academic needs. More and more I am facing students with extreme violent behaviors. Behaviors that not only impede their ability to learn, but also impede other students' ability to learn. Every day I go into work I hope I can leave the same way I came in, but it has gotten to the point that leaving with "only" a scratch or bruise that will heal quickly is a good day, in what other job do you say that. Since 2019 I have had 3 concussions and 1 count of whiplash at the hands of students I work with, before 2019 I had never had a concussion or been seriously injured on the job. I am currently off work recovering from a concussion and now am facing seeing a neurologist to ensure there hasn't been any brain damage from all the trauma to my brain. This violent behavior not only takes a physical toll on my body, but also a toll on my mental health. Daily my co- workers and I are faced with being spat at and on, sworn at, kicked, punched, and bit. You can only endure so much of that. I am in tears and I see them in tears too. I feel these incidents are not taken seriously enough; every child has a right to an education, I would never argue that, but I have the right to feel safe coming to work. I have the right to have something left in the tank at the end of the day so my own kids get some of me too. So often I have nothing left to give after being at work. I struggle constantly to reconcile loving this job and being so passionate about it, but also legitimately wondering how much longer I can do this for.

This school had so much potential and for years was run by incredible admins. The last few years however have been an absolute dumpster fire! Constant staff changeover, kids running around ,students frustrated ,staff frustrated and needs increasing. Recipe for disaster!!!!!
They have lost their best staff and this is just compounding the problem. The school board needs to make some changes to admin but would rather see over 20 staff leave. Run away from this school.

I am an educational assistant. I work in a small class with special needs students. I am hit/kicked on a regular basis. I’ve needed to leave work to see a doctor. Thankfully I’ve never been off long term, yet. We are constantly short staffed. We sometimes have to evacuate our class due to a violent student. Our admin are great and do their best to support us. These students need more help, more support. We are failing these students because our hands are tied by the board and the government. Students and staff should not have to be fearful to go to school/work.

got so hot in the school during the summer i threw up (it was like 40 celsius in there) so like maybe teach you teachers to keep the windows closed..?

I’m Lori, and I’m a retired Educational Assistant.
I worked with the Durham Catholic District School Board for nearly 25 years. I loved my job. I loved the students, and I loved the staff I worked with. I never imagined I’d retire early—but I did. And it wasn’t because I wanted to. It was because I didn’t feel safe, respected, or supported anymore. I had to chose a school for this story but this school doesn't necessary represent the good or bad experiences I am about to share.
Over the years, I’ve been hit, bruised, and bloodied—black eyes, busted lips, and more. At one point, strangers and even my own family thought I was being abused at home. But the truth is, these injuries came from students who were in crisis—students who needed help, but didn’t get the support they deserved.
We talk a lot about how the government is failing schools. That’s true. We absolutely need more funding and better resources. But that’s only part of the story. Leadership in our schools matters just as much. I worked in some schools where I felt appreciated and safe—where leadership made a real difference. And I worked in others, with the same funding, where I felt dismissed and afraid to speak up.
The Board has policies around harassment and bullying. But policies don’t mean much if they’re not enforced— staff are being harassed and ignored, even by those in charge.
That’s why I’m sharing this. Because I know these conversations are happening behind the scenes, and they need to be brought into the light. If you’re a leader and this message hits close to home—reflect. Change starts there. If you’re working in a school and feeling like I did—you’re not alone.
To every EA still showing up, doing the hard work, I see you. I know your battle. You deserve respect. You deserve safety. And you deserve to be heard.
It’s time we all listen.