Teacher Targeted Bullying and Harassment by Students and Parents: Report from an Australian Exploratory Survey

This study was undertaken in 2018 with funding from the DVC(R) Research Engagement Income Growth Fund and HuSS IRGS Supplementary Support Fund. It received the support of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (Ahisa) and the Australian Education Union (Victoria branch). This project aimed to shed light on teachers' experiences of feeling bullied and victimised while working in Australia’s Independent and Public Schools and presents findings of the incidence and impact of student and parental Teacher Targeted Bullying and Harassment (TTBH). To our knowledge, this is the first research of its kind in Australia.

It was found that while there is mounting evidence that teachers suffer ongoing incidences of Teacher Targeted Bullying and Harassment, there is a paucity of research which explores teachers' reports of being bullied by students and parents. It also found that many teachers feel they struggle to feel respected professionally and believe their reports of teacher targeted bullying and harassment are often ignored or downplayed by management and peak bodies. Finally, it was found that teacher targeted bullying and harassment by students and parents has detrimental effects on a teacher’s sense of self-efficacy and wellbeing and may contribute to an unsafe workplace.