The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) reports that student aggression in the Winnipeg School Division surged by 118 percent between 2022 and 2026. this spike has primarily impacted educational assistants, prompting urgent calls for increased staffing and improved safety protocols.
From 884 to 1,925: The Surge in Winnipeg School Violence
The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) has revealed a stark escalation in classroom violence within the Winnipeg School Division. According to the report, incidents of student-related aggression jumped from 884 in the 2022-23 school year to 1,925 by 2025-26.
These incidents are not merely disruptive but physical. mGEU president Kyle Ross described a workplace where staff face "jaw-dropping" levels of violence, including being bitten, head-butted, spit on, or having their hair pulled. The data indicates that these attacks—which also include kicks, hits, and scratches—have become a daily uncertainty for those working in Manitoba's largest school division.
Why Educational Assistants Bear the Brunt of the Aggression
The MGEU data highlights a troubling disparity in who is being targeted, noting that educational assistants (EAs) were the staff group most likely to be harmed. In fact, the report says that EAs accounted for nearly all the cases of aggression recorded in the Winnipeg School Division.
The union argues that this vulnerability is a direct result of inadequate staffing. Kyle Ross emphasized that when educational assistants are stretched too thin, the ability to build trust and rapport with students—which is essential for managing behavioral challenges—is eroded. The MGEU is now urging the province to strengthen the enforcement of violence-prevention requirements to protect these frontline workers.
The 830 New Educational Assistants Promised for 2026
In response to the union's alarm, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt stated that the NDP government has allocated funding to hire 830 new educational assistants in 2026. schmidt acknowledged that while more work remains, investing in staff is essential for maintaining school safety and providing necessary student supports.
However, there is a clear disconnect between the government's outlook and the union's experience. winnipeg School Division superintendent Matt Henderson claimed the division has already added 300 educational assistants over the last three years and reduced class sizes. henderson expressed confidnce that the division has the "right people" in place, suggesting that violent outbursts are often a child's attempt to communicate a need.
Darby Mallory and the National Trend of School Violence
The crisis in Winnipeg is not an isolated event but part of a broader North American pattern. Darby Mallory, a doctoral student in criminology at the University of Ottawa, noted that violent incidents in schools have been rising for years across various boards and communities.
Mallory suggests that the root of the problem is a complex intersection of funding and resources. According to Mallory, a general decrease in school funding has led to larger class sizes and staff layoffs, which in turn creates unsafe learning environments. This systemic failure affects not only the staff being attacked but also the students, who lose critical instructional time due to the instability of the classroom.
The Gap Between Superintendent Henderson's Confidence and MGEU's Alarm
A critical point of contention remains: what constitutes "safe" staffing? While Superintendent Matt Henderson believes the current numbers are sufficient, the MGEU's data on the 118 percent rise in violence suggests a failure in the current operational model.
It remains unclear exactly how the province will distribute the 830 new hires or what specific training will be implemented to curb the violence. Furthermore, the source provides the perspective of the union, the government, and an academic, but does not include a response from the parents or the students involved in these incidents, leaving a gap in the understanding of the behavioral drivers behind the surge.
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