NDP Leader Howard Hampton says the McGuinty government has ignored key recommendations that would help stem school violence in Ontario.

“Guns have no place in our school and no place in our children's hands. We have to get the guns off the streets and stop the violence. When parents send their children to school they have the right to expect that their children are safe. The safety of our children, however, requires far more than a police presence in a few schools,” said the NDP Leader.

Hampton’s comments followed yesterday’s shooting of a student at Bendale Business and Technical Institute in Toronto. The latest round of school violence has drawn attention to the lack of resources being provided to deal with the chronic problem.

Hampton said the Falconer report released in January after the school shooting death of Jordan Manners listed specific staffing recommendations for social workers, child and youth care workers, and psychologists. Despite initial steps taken by the Toronto District School Board, lack of funding from the McGuinty government has meant that the extra support has not been provided.

“We need to give schools the tools they need to meet all the needs of our students and to create a safe environment. Unfortunately, Dalton McGuinty has talked a lot about stopping gun violence, but he hasn't done anything to help those on the frontlines fight it," Hampton said.