Countering School Bullying: An Examination of Policy Implementation in Ontario and Saskatchewan

Abstract

The incidence of extreme school violence as a direct consequence of bullying among peers, exacerbated by vast media attention, has caused educational institutions worldwide to review issues of bullying intervention and prevention. Many Canadian provinces have implemented guiding principles to counter bullying in schools. This study focuses on a review and comparison of two provincewide antibullying incentives in Ontario and in Saskatchewan through a content analysis of their respective school board or school division policies. An itemized list of beneficial practices for bullying intervention and prevention originated from the scoring scheme of Smith, Smith, Osborn, and Samara (2008) and was adapted by linking research-based program elements that have been found to be effective in reducing school bullying to a content analysis of both provincial frameworks. The final scoring scheme comprised a total of 39 criterions, divided into five categories: Defining Bullying Behaviors, Establishing a Positive School Climate, Disseminating, Monitoring and Reviewing Policy, Reporting and Responding to Bullying, and Involving the Broader Community. Results showed that policies contained a total average of 60 percent of the criterions in Ontario, and 59 percent in Saskatchewan. The conclusion of this study observes from policy lenses key essentials of bullying intervention and prevention initiatives in elementary and secondary educational settings. Recommendations are proposed to bridge the gap between areas that have received extensive attention and areas that have received less treatment in bullying intervention and prevention endeavors, using the content of Ontario and Saskatchewan policies as a basis for discussion.