13 schools unite in call for respect from parents, caregivers

SCHOOL principals tired of having their staff subjected to abuse and bad behaviour have teamed up to force change.

School principals are calling for respect to be shown to frontline staff. File photo

THIRTEEN school principals tired of having their staff subjected to abuse and bad behaviour have teamed up to force change.

The principals from schools on the Redcliffe Peninsula and at Deception Bay decided to stop complaining about the issue, and are instead working together to change community attitudes.

They launched the Peninsula Respect Project this morning before a group of more than 70 people which included emergency services personnel, community organisations and school staff.

Redcliffe State High School principal and one of the project co-ordinators Shona McKinlay said schools could not solve the problem by themselves and needed the broader community to take a stand.

“We want this community to be the best it can be,” she said.

Project chairman Paul Pickering said it was an issue that police and paramedics regularly encountered which had been addressed with a public awareness campaign.

This project aims to do the same on the Redcliffe Peninsula by mobilising a community.

He said one in three principals had received some kind of abuse.

The project has the backing of State Attorney General and Labor MP for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath.

“Some school staff have expressed concerns about the difficulty in maintaining positive relationships because of various issues in the community such as mental health, drug and alcohol abuse and unrealistic expectations of schools and government agencies,” Mrs D’Ath said.

“This project will provide an important vehicle for community networks ro raise and discuss issues and explore strategies to strengthen partnerships and promote respect for each person.”

Schools will look at more professional development for frontline staff and programs that can be run with parents and caregivers to set clear parameters for behaviour.