School Community Safety Orders Victoria: abusive parents banned from schools under new laws

Parents who post abusive social media posts may be fined up to $10,000 under new state laws which come into effect later this month.

Principals will have more power to ban aggressive parents from school grounds next term as schools tighten controls over violent and bullying mums and dads.

New state laws will also ban parents who leave abusive messages on social media, with those who break the orders facing fines in the Magistrate’s Court of up to $10,000.

Parents subject to the orders will still be able to communicate with teachers about their kids, but may have restrictions on where they can go on the school site or other educational settings.

In recent years, schools have faced a spate incidents involving abusive parents, with principals being physically abused, attacked by drunk parents at functions and turning up on school premises demanding to see their children during the day.

Aggressive parents will be banned from entering schools under new state laws. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Some state primary schools have had to ban alcohol from after-hours events after fights between parents and parents and teachers.

The School Community Safety Orders come into effect on June 28, which will apply from the start of term three.

They are designed to cover behaviour that is dangerous and abusive but doesn’t meet the threshold for an intervention order.

Education Minister James Merlino said it was sad the schools needed this step, which applies to parents, carers and other people who engage in harmful, threatening or abusive behaviour.

“I’m glad it’s only a tiny minority, but hopefully we can stamp out this bad behaviour,” he said. “No one should be threatened or intimidated at work or at school,” he said.

“These vital new measures will empower our senior school leaders to take necessary actions when inappropriate behaviour is being levelled towards people in the school community.”

Parent behaviour would also be enforced via enrolment agreements. Picture: Sarah Marshall.

It will be up to schools to impose the restrictions in the way they feel is appropriate and

external review through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal is available if the parent doesn’t agree with the outcome.

Paul O’Halloran, a lawyer with Colin Biggers and Paisley Lawyers, said the behaviour of parents was also enforced via enrolment agreements, regardless of whether the parents were aware of their obligations.

“Schools always have to deal with unruly, unhinged parents who turn up to school events and cause harm to the school staff. This should go some way to manage this from a health and safety perspective,” he said.

The rules cover state, Catholic and independent schools, giving principals or the proprietor of the school the power to ban adults from school premises.