Victorian school principals pushed to the brink by violence from students, angry parents

Victoria’s school principals are experiencing the highest levels of violence in a decade, as angry parents and out-of-control students drive one in two to consider quitting.

Irate parents and unruly students are fuelling escalating rates of violence against principals, driving one in two to seriously consider quitting their job at the end of the year, a damning survey has revealed.

School leaders are experiencing the highest levels of violence in a decade, with 35.4 per cent of Victorian principals physically targeted last year, the Australian Catholic University’s 2023 Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey found.

Principals are fearing for their safety and calling police in record numbers after being hit, kicked, punched, followed by parents after hours and receiving threats relating to sexual assault and physical harm.

School leaders are experiencing the highest levels of violence in a decade.

Survey investigator and former school principal Dr Paul Kidson said some parents are taking “every opportunity to shoot down” the views of teachers and principals and giving their child the green light to do the same.

“We’re seeing increased instances of …(students) lashing out, kicking, biting, punching. I spoke to someone who had a child tear a chunk of hair out of her head,” he said.

One principal, who didn’t wish to be identified, said a parent once “jumped the school fence after hours” to find members of the leadership team, before making “threats involving sexual assault and physical harm”.

“Another parent posted vile and distressing content on their Facebook page using my name in an attempt to intimidate and bully me after we made mandatory reports involving their child,” she said.

“We’ve had to end meetings abruptly as parent conduct has been so offensive and threatening that staff are not safe in a room with them.”

The principal added she once had to phone police after a parent refused to leave the school following a heated meeting, while in another incident, the school was placed into lockdown because a parent breached court orders.

Meanwhile, another primary school principal of 24 years, described student and parent behaviour as “heightened” post pandemic.

“We had a physical fight in the playground between parents which started as quite a heated argument in the morning that we thought we dispersed. Three of those men then turned up in the afternoon and got physical,” he said.

Principals are fearing for their safety and calling police in record numbers.

Two female assistant principals and some teachers had to separate the men, with the incident occurring outside grade one classrooms.

“I now have kids wondering if they’re safe in the playground after school,” the principal said.

Prior to moving to his current school, the principal was bullied by parents over an 18-month period.

“There was one bullying family who just continually sent complaints about me … and the only thing that stopped it was because I left the school. They then started on the next principal,” he said.

“I didn’t think I would get that affected but I was lying awake at night at 3am considering whether I should go back to school the next day.”

Survey investigator Dr Paul Kidson says some parents are taking ‘every opportunity to shoot down’ the views of teachers and principals. Picture: Supplied

The survey found excessive workloads, lack of teaching and learning time, and student and staff mental health were also significantly impacting principals’ wellbeing, with one in three Victorian respondents triggering a red flag warning and were encouraged to seek assistance.

“Too often, there will be a guilt that principals feel because they’re just trying to give so much of themselves,” Dr Kidson said.

“It’s an Olympic year, but you don’t get medals for that type of work.”

Dr Kidson said his research team hoped the government will act on their recommendations, including prioritising support for school leaders and addressing inappropriate parent behaviour, after seeing the survey’s findings.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said the government welcomed ACU’s report and recognised more work was required to keep teaching staff “safe, satisfied and fulfilled”.

“The health and wellbeing of our principals is a priority – we will continue to give them the best possible support for the vital work they do across school communities,” she said.