$6m scourge: Assaults on teachers, school staff hit epidemic levels

In the past 16 months, 900 Queensland teachers and school employees lodged workplace assault or violence claims worth over $6m.

Classroom violence continues to rise with 11 teachers and general school employees being assaulted every week in Queensland since 2021.

Shocking data has revealed there were 240 more claims of classroom violence year on year, prompting the LNP to accuse the state government of losing control of schools.

The shocking WorkCover claims coming out of Queensland schools were revealed through a Parliamentary Question on Notice response released late last week. Photo: iStock.

In the past 16 months alone, 900 educational staff lodged workplace violence claims worth in excess of $6m.

If the rate of claims already made in the first four months of this financial year continues, the state is on track to record its worst year of school violence in recent times.

In the 2021/22 financial year, teachers and other school staff submitted 459 WorkCover claims for assault and/or violence, with 433 approved.

The value of these claims and similar historical claims during this period is not available.

In the 2022/23 financial year, there were 698 classroom assault claims lodged, with 641 accepted. They were valued in excess of $5m.

LNP Shadow Education Spokesman Dr Christian Rowan said the data showed the state government is losing control of school safety.

“All teachers, students, parents and school staff deserve to be safe in our schools, and to be safe in their workplace,” he said.

Opposition Education Spokesman Dr Christian Rowan believes school violence is out of control and teachers and students are suffering. Photo: Amaani Siddeek.

“Queensland taxpayers are paying the bill for Labor’s failure to ensure teachers and staff are safe in our schools.

“The Education Minister must explain to our hardworking and dedicated teachers and school staff why she has ignored this growing workplace safety crisis.

“The state’s government’s chaos and crisis is wreaking havoc in our schools, with teachers and students suffering under Labor’s broken student behavioural management framework.”

But, Education Minister Grace Grace said changes have been made to the state’s workers’ compensation scheme in this time, opening the door to more claims.

“Any violence against staff in Queensland state schools is unacceptable,” she said.

“When there is an accident or an incident in a school, staff should have access to make a claim through WorkCover. That’s what it’s there for.

“We have implemented several changes to Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme, including expanding the definition of injury, to make it more accessible.

“We also reversed the changes the Campbell Newman Government brought in which stripped workers of their rights.

“This means there are more claims being accepted and more workers getting the support they need, so year on year figures can’t be compared as like for like.”

Education Minister Grace Grace blamed the trend on the workers’ compensation scheme being more accessible since the expansion of the definition of an injury. Photo: David Clark.

The state also paid out in the last financial year more than $10.2m for historical claims made in past years.

In July to October this year, teachers and other school staff submitted 278 workplace violence claims, with all but four approved. These claims are already worth around $1.1m.

In the same period, WorkCover also paid out $5.4m in historical school violence claims.

The big picture is 1348 successful claims for assault and/or violence made by teachers and other school staff in Queensland from July 1, 2021 through to October 31, 2023.

The monetary cost for the 2022/23 financial year and 2023/24 year to date is more than $6.16m in fresh claims approved, and $15.65m paid out for historical claims.