Melbourne private school teachers targeted by aggressive students and parents

Melbourne private school teachers are being targeted by violent students and aggressive parents as research reveals many educators don’t feel safe at work.

Victorian teachers are being subjected to violent attacks from students and say parents have become “increasingly” aggressive.

The Herald Sun has spoken with educators, who teach at private schools in Melbourne’s southeast and east, who say they have been “targeted” by aggressive students in recent months.

“We’ve been hit, pushed and even spat at by some students. It can be very confronting at times,” one teacher said.

“We are also being threatened by parents and it had become quite bad during Covid.

“In October, one student pushed me at a camp, the whole incident was very distressing. We understand that some children have more complex needs than others but it does have an effect on you,” he said.

Another teacher said he was “threatened” by a parent late last year after a student was suspended for selling vapes in the schoolyard.

“My colleagues and I were sent a barrage of emails from this parent who was threatening us and had become quite aggressive,” he said.

“We are noticing that parents are becoming increasingly aggressive especially via email and phone.

“We always want to do what is best for families and behaving this way actually makes situations worse and causes serious mental health issues for teaching staff.”

It comes after new research revealed a quarter of Australian teachers say they do not feel safe at work.

Just three in 10 teachers plan on staying in the profession and 70 per cent say they don’t think the profession is respected or appreciated by the public, the Monash University study shows.

The research, which surveyed more than 5000 teachers nationwide, found two thirds of staff who felt unsafe at work said student behaviour and violence was the main reason why.

Respondents said some students were “abusive”, “aggressive”, “violent” and “threatening”, and that feeling safe in certain situations was not possible.

Other reasons for feeling unsafe at work included parent abuse, negative relationships with other staff members and mental health and wellbeing concerns.

They noted that there was little support for them in these situations.

Teachers’ satisfaction with their jobs dropped from 66 per cent to 46 per cent between 2019 and 2022 surveys.

More than 86 per cent of teachers also said their workload was unmanageable.

Lead author of the report Dr Fiona Longmuir said feeling safe in the workplace should be a “minimum expectation” for all workers.

“Time and adequate support for teachers to engage authentically and productively with all students – including those with complex learning, social and behavioural needs – may alleviate disruptive and disrespectful student behaviours in schools,” she said

Dr Longmuir said the findings were a “wake up call” for Australians to change the way they interact with, and talk about teachers, if we are to retain them in the profession and address critical workforce shortages.

“They highlight the urgent need for systemic action and personal change,” she said.

“Teachers play a critical role in shaping our shared future, they deserve the utmost respect and appreciation, and that includes having a place at the table when it comes to policy making.”

A state government spokesman said all Victorian teachers and staff had the right to a safe and inclusive work environment.

“That’s why the Victorian Government has invested $13.4 million in Respectful and Safe School Communities to help ensure that schools are safe places of work and learning for staff and students,” he said.

“The Victorian Government is working with all other states on programs to improve the status of the teaching profession.

“We’re right behind our teachers and staff, and we’ll continue working to reduce the workload and administrative burden of school staff outside school hours.”