Half a victim of bullying

Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Joanny Cossette, who has experienced a lot of bullying in high school, was awarded at the age of 16 years. She returned to school last year at the alternative school Environment, to Lévis. She now wants to continue her studies at the college.

Daphnée Dion-Viens

Monday, 12 February, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Monday, 12 February, 2018 00:00

Look at this article

Half of dropouts say they have been victims of bullying at school, reveals an exclusive poll obtained by The Newspaper.

This probe unprecedented has been achieved from 1009 Quebeckers aged 18 to 34 years old who have dropped out, already seriously thought of dropping out of school, or hung up. For Léger, who painted this portrait, it is a first. “Never before have we had talked to the young people who have had a problematic school,” says its executive vice-president, Christian Bourque. This survey was carried out in the framework of the hooked on school Days, with the official launch took place today in Montreal.

The director of the national campaign, Audrey McKinnon, was not surprised by the high proportion of young people’s school career difficult who claim to have been victims of bullying (52 %). “It confirms what the research says. The phenomenon of bullying has a deep impact in the school experiences of a child’s life “, she says.

Bullying is rarely the only factor that causes a young person to answer, but it may weigh heavily in the balance, as was the case for Joanny Cossette, who dropped out of school at 16 years old.

Beyond academic results

Among the other reasons that may lead a young person to answer, 75 % of respondents said that they were bored at school and 51% reported that there was conflict in their family. “Generally, it is an accumulation of several factors that will ensure that the young will be discouraged “, said Ms. McKinnon.

The school’s results in fact represent only one of the pieces of the puzzle. Among the respondents, 47 % reported ratings of “fair” at the school. More than 22 % of the dropouts have even claimed that their notes were “good” or ” very good “. “The academic results are part of the equation, but this is not it, dropping out of school,” says Mr. Bourque. The support of parents and friends also plays a decisive role.

Left to themselves

Among the dropouts, nearly half have, however, been left to fend for themselves at the time of dropping out of school : 29 % say they have received no help and 14 % did not remember having had. It is a “quite disturbing,” admits Ms. McKinnon, that leads to ” questioning our ability to reach them “.

The latter, however, specifies that it can also happen that a young person not to go to seek help, even if it is available.

“Often, the verb to win is combined in the singular, they live it alone, says Christian Bourque. But the moment someone in the entourage has been involved or is involved, the odds to persevere to improve. “

Highlights from the survey :

• 52 % have been victims of bullying
• 43 % used alcohol or drugs often or occasionally
• 28 % have a condition or a disorder (e.g. : deficit disorder, attention)
• 75 % were bored at school
• 67 % liked the school at the primary
• 36 % did not like school at the secondary level
• 47 % had grades of moderate
• 51 % lived conflicts in the family

Source : survey Light directed from 1009 Quebecers aged 18 to 34 years old who have dropped out, already seriously thought of dropping out of school, or hung up.

It picks up after years of being insulted

The intimidation which has been the victim Joanny Cossette has in part pushed to drop out of school at 16 years old.

Upon his arrival at the secondary level, the girl has been insulted on a daily basis due to its extra weight. We went so far as to threaten her and push her into lockers. “Look at the cow “. “Cannonball “. “Large aeroplane “. The insults were daily. “I didn’t feel safe. In the long run, it plays on the moral, ” says Joanny.

It was always “the same gang of seven or eight” students who took it, says the young woman. She claims to have spoken to school personnel and even to the management, without that nothing changes. A message left in the voice mailbox of the police school remained without the answer. “I asked a lot of help, but I was a person among others “, let it fall.

While Joanny is in the third high school, her mother falls ill and must be hospitalized. Joanny is 16 years old and she is the eldest daughter of the family. She decided to abandon her studies to work and take care of his brother and his sister. “Anyway, I didn’t want to go to school,” she says.

A reality that is very common

Joanny is far from being the only school drop-out to having experienced bullying. At the alternative school Environment in Lévis, which she attended for a year, seven of the eight students have also experienced this reality. “Most of my students have almost all had the same case,” says the speaker Annie Dumais.

In this school not like the others, raccrocheurs return to school before making the jump to the adult education or vocational training. The small group, which can accommodate up to 15 students, is supervised by a teacher and a speaker. “The support really makes the difference,” says Joanny, who is now 20 years old.

After having worked in a nursery, the young woman discovered a passion for children and now wants to continue her studies at a cegep in early childhood education. “When I left school, I knew that I would go back, but I didn’t know when and to do what she says. My experience in childcare has been a click. I really found out that it was my place. “

Think of abandon as soon as the primary

Nearly 30 % of young people say they have started thinking about dropping out of school at the age of 13 or 14 years, or even since elementary.

Among the young people interviewed within the framework of the survey conducted by the firm Leger, 7 % have thought about dropping from the primary level and 22 % at the age of 13 and 14 years old.

“We can really assume that in the fifth and sixth years, there are elements that install into the thinking of young people while they are still small, at that age. It is unsettling, ” says Audrey McKinnon, director of the national campaign of the hooked on school Days, which take place from 12 to 16 February.

It is therefore necessary to put more efforts in the fight against dropping out very early in the school career, she adds : “It may, as soon as the primary, working together, identify these young people and put actions in place. “

Ms. McKinnon also emphasizes that efforts must continue in secondary school, but also after that the young man has abandoned his studies, for the return to school : “once the young person has dropped out, it is not finished. It is not only played between 14 and 16 years old. It is played before and after also. “

Among the youth surveyed, 12 % have dropped out while they were 15 years of age, although school attendance is compulsory up to 16 years in Quebec. Nearly 60 % of respondents have dropped out of school at the age of 16 or 17 years old.

Also the case of municipalities

The results of this survey also serve to remind that the stall is not only the business of the school. The municipalities also have a role to play, ” says Christian Bourque, executive vice-president of the polling firm Léger. Dropouts reported less access to leisure facilities for young people who hung up or persevered in their studies.

“There is a rather strong message here about the impact of these activities, either the sport or the culture, and about young people experiencing difficulties,” says Ms McKinnon.