Parents who target teachers in WhatsApp groups or in person would be forced to pull posts and barred from schools under a new enhanced safety scheme.
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll announced the legislation to strengthen the existing School Community Safety Scheme on Friday.
Under current laws, a principal can issue an immediate order that bars someone from school grounds when there is an “immediate” risk of harm to a person at a school, and the ban lasts for 14 days. Principals can also issue orders that last for 12 months if a person is seen to be a continued risk to the school community.
Under the proposed changes to the legislation, the government will let principals issue verbal orders to parents and caregivers to immediately leave the premises from the start of term 1 next year.
“That parent will need to follow that order and leave the premises,” Carroll said Friday.
“They will also have to take down any content they put up on a social media platform or in a parent WhatsApp group. We’re sending the most clear message to parents.”
Carroll said parents and caregivers would need to set the example for their children and support teachers in the classroom, at the school gate and online.
The government aims to lower the threshold for community safety orders to allow them to be issued for an “unacceptable threat” from the start of 2027.
“That could be a verbal threat, a physical threat, any threat online or toward the teacher when they’re entering their workplace,” the minister said.
He said in the past four years there had been a 60 per cent rise in violence towards teachers, including teachers being violently assaulted and verbally threatened on parents’ WhatsApp groups or on social media platforms like Facebook.
“We are making sure that the net is widened, that beyond the school gate, our principals deserve to feel safe while out in the community, and while they’re doing their everyday business in the community,” he said.
A recent independent statutory review and consultation with the school sector received more than 1100 anonymous responses.
One principal said: “Tighter regulations on individuals bagging out schools on social media
[is] needed.”
“Community need to know that threatening behaviour will have legal implications and not just the poor principal having to do all the work,” the principal said.
Another school principal said harmful behaviours weren’t restricted to physical or verbal threats.
“The prevalence of personal attacks, slander and other demeaning and derogatory comments in the online space remains unfiltered and the norm. These behaviours affect staff and schools.”
Examples provided included harassing school staff on personal social media pages, sending repeated requests, and making public accusations online under the guise of “warning” the community.
The orders are a last resort to manage the small minority of adults who engage in harmful, threatening or abusive behaviour.
The Australian Education Union Victorian branch, which is currently negotiating a pay deal with the government, welcomed the move.
“Sadly, there are too many instances of physical and psychological harm against teachers, principals and education support staff perpetrated by some parents or carers and other members of school communities,” branch president Justin Mullaly said.
“This can take a huge toll on the health and wellbeing of school employees.”
Opposition education spokesman Brad Rowswell said he wanted to see the legislation for the changes and argued it wasn’t a new problem for schools.
“After 12 years of doing nothing, the minister now indicates something needs to be done,” he said.
“In the meantime, the rate of violence in schools has gone through the roof, with teachers and principals feeling disempowered to act.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Caroline Schelle is an education reporter, and joined The Age in 2022. She previously covered courts at AAP.Connect via X or email.
