Victorian principals suffer shocking violence, survey reveals

Victorian school principals are facing shockingly high rates of physical violence, with an educator revealing children as young as five responsible for sickening attacks.

More than 40 per cent of principals have reported being exposed to threats of violence or being a victim of physical violence last year.

Victorian principals are being subjected to shocking violent attacks by students including being punched, kicked and bitten by children as young as five.

The latest Australian Principal Occupational, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey has revealed more than 40 per cent of principals reported being exposed to threats of violence or being a victim of physical violence last year.

This is up to nine times greater than the general population, the startling figures revealed.

The survey revealed a decrease of offensive behaviours, which was attributed to the reduced face-to-face contact with parents.

The study is jointly conducted by researchers at the Australian Catholic University and Deakin University, surveying 2248 school principals in primary and secondary schools across all states and territories.

A former principal of more than 20 years told the Sunday Herald Sun he had witnessed shocking attacks from children as young as five.

“I’ve seen students including preps trashing rooms, lashing out, hitting, kicking, punching, biting and the challenge with this in many cases is that there is really complex cases behind some of these children including family violence,” he said.

“We also see violence from parents sometimes its verbal threats or on social media but it does occasionally become physical.”

He revealed the most shocking incident he had witnessed was a parent experiencing a drug-induced psychosis who physically “manhandled” a principal.

“The vicarious trauma from these incidents build up over time and can eventually damage or destroy some leaders.”

Other concerning findings revealed almost 30 per cent of school leaders received a red flag email alerting them to contact employee support services, which considered them at risk of self-harm, occupational health problems or serious impacts to their quality of life.

Almost 97 per cent of principals worked overtime and close to 70 per cent worked more than 56 hours a week during the school term and 25 hours a week during the holidays.

The survey also found several principals reported an increase in job satisfaction and commitment to the workplace, as well as more support from colleagues and supervisors.

Victorian Principals Association president Andrew Dalgleish said the survey continued to demonstrate the passion of school leaders, but it also highlighted the significant impacts their dedication had on their wellbeing.

“Principals worked tirelessly to ensure continuity of learning, along with supporting the

wellbeing of students, staff and their broader school communities during 2020. By the end of

the year many were physically and emotionally exhausted,” Mr Dalgleish said.

An Education Department spokesman said Victoria was leading the way in supporting principals through record investment by the state government and new initiatives.

“The state government has invested more than $51 million to embed health, safety and wellbeing, reduce workload administrative burden relating to local school policy development, simplify access to department compliance and policy requirements and support the health and wellbeing of principals and all school staff,” the spokesman said.

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