An outspoken public servant has called for a crackdown on parents who complain about their children’s teachers online.
Frank Handy, the chair of Victoria’s Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution, has proposed a $1,000 fine for parents who defame school teachers.
It comes after new research revealed a rise in rude and aggressive behaviour by parents and caregivers towards educators.
‘The complaints that we are getting now, are more difficult to manage than they were a few years ago,’ Mr Handy told 9News.
The dispute resolution expert has called for a fine system to be introduced, along with a ban on internet use to act as a deterrent.
‘It’s not a restriction in speech, instead it’s “how can I say this in a way where the system will hear, that I will be heard and we will resolve the problem”,’ he said.
But Victoria’s Education Minister Ben Carroll has ruled out introducing a hefty fine.
‘We already have a school-wide positive behaviours initiative where there are issues at the school that we need to resolve,’ he said.
Parents who badmouth their children’s teachers online could be slapped with a $1,000 fine
Up to 65 per cent of Aussie principals identified parents as their major cause of distress (stock)
‘For the most difficult situations we always have a school community safety order system in place where authorised officers in the department of education can issue notices where parents are banned from attending a particular school.
‘We are talking about a very, very small number of notices that get issued every year.’
Victoria’s Shadow Education Minister Jess Wilson said she was concerned about conditions for teachers across the state.
‘This is a problem for teachers right across the state, I hear it time and time again from principals, particularly when they see new graduate teachers coming into the classroom,’ she said.
‘This has consequences, this means we’re seeing teachers exit.’
The 2024 Australian Principals’ Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing survey, conducted by the Australian Catholic University, reveals a toxic workplace culture.
Up to 55 per cent of principals reported being subjected to threats of violence, 57 per cent were targets of gossip and slander and 35 per cent said they were cyberbullied.
When asked who was behind the bullying, 65 per cent of respondents identified ‘parents and caregivers’.
Frank Handy says parents should be banned from using the internet as well as the $1,000 fine
‘The major cause of distress are parents,’ one teacher told the survey.
‘Parents behave in an unreasonable manner, have ridiculous expectations, and think that because they went to school, they can therefore run a school.
‘Principals are constantly defending staff from parents. Parents are rarely told to stop and desist by Education Support Offices.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Education Union Victorian Branch and Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution for comment.
