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Education grad tackles bullying
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May 30, 2003
Originally, Shaheen Shariff was daunted by the controversy surrounding her doctoral research in education. But, her desire to help the public school system grapple with a burgeoning problem and potentially save lives spurred her on. Shariff’s dissertation, A System on Trial: The Legal Culpability of Canadian Schools in Handling Violence, argues that public school systems must deal with bullying and schoolyard violence more effectively or face consequences. She predicts an increase in lawsuits and more violence, potentially leading to suicide.
North America-wide, bullying has been linked to taunted children being beaten, suffering psychological damage and committing suicide. Shariff’s award winning dissertation is dedicated to Hamed Nastoh, a 15 year old victim of bullying in Surrey who killed himself. In his suicide note, a portion of which is in Shariff’s dissertation, Nostoh pleads for better education about the impact of school violence.
"There’s a lot of controversy over the extent to which schools can be held responsible for protecting students from psychological damage," says Shariff, a former Port Moody resident. The expert on the impact of law on educational policy adds, "Parents are accusing schools of turning a blind eye to bullying and the courts are reluctant to rule against schools for fear of opening the floodgates to litigation."
Shariff uses legal standards on supervisory responsibilities, statutory and case law on breach of duty and negligence, and human rights precedents to demonstrate why schools are skating on thin legal ice in handling bullying. Her thesis aims to "help educators stay out of court by clarifying their legal obligations. I also wanted to inform parents of their legal rights in protecting children and help judges decipher when case law is applicable to school violence."
Shariff is now an assistant professor of education at McGill University and often consulted on bullying. Her thesis is slated to become a book.
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Contact
Shaheen Shariff, 514.398.5396, shaheen.shariff@mcgill.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR, 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
North America-wide, bullying has been linked to taunted children being beaten, suffering psychological damage and committing suicide. Shariff’s award winning dissertation is dedicated to Hamed Nastoh, a 15 year old victim of bullying in Surrey who killed himself. In his suicide note, a portion of which is in Shariff’s dissertation, Nostoh pleads for better education about the impact of school violence.
"There’s a lot of controversy over the extent to which schools can be held responsible for protecting students from psychological damage," says Shariff, a former Port Moody resident. The expert on the impact of law on educational policy adds, "Parents are accusing schools of turning a blind eye to bullying and the courts are reluctant to rule against schools for fear of opening the floodgates to litigation."
Shariff uses legal standards on supervisory responsibilities, statutory and case law on breach of duty and negligence, and human rights precedents to demonstrate why schools are skating on thin legal ice in handling bullying. Her thesis aims to "help educators stay out of court by clarifying their legal obligations. I also wanted to inform parents of their legal rights in protecting children and help judges decipher when case law is applicable to school violence."
Shariff is now an assistant professor of education at McGill University and often consulted on bullying. Her thesis is slated to become a book.
—30—
Contact
Shaheen Shariff, 514.398.5396, shaheen.shariff@mcgill.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR, 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca