Outrage at school of hard knocks

QUEENSLAND teachers are being subjected to horrific abuse by violent students and parents, including being headbutted, bitten, kicked, spat on and attacked with weapons.

The details of dozens of assaults against teachers and school principals are laid bare in school workplace injury claims lodged last year, obtained by the Cairns Post under Right to Information laws.

According to the documents, two teachers, one in the north coast region and another in Brisbane city, were sprayed in the face with classroom fire extinguishers.

A southeast state school teacher was struck by a student with an iron bar to the face, while another was cut after being stabbed by a student with a one-inch pin.

The documents reveal teachers and principals are being subjected to death threats from students and parents, and students are using chairs, books and even whiteboards as weapons, hurling them at school staff.

Education Minister Kate Jones last night said she planned to ramp up the Queensland Government’s Respect our Staff initiative, launching a social media campaign designed to encourage the community to show more respect to teachers.

“I will not tolerate physical and verbal abuse of school staff,” she said.

“One claim attributed to an assault of a teacher is one too many.”

A former Queensland principal described an attack by an ex-student who came on to school grounds and pinned him against a wall, striking his face and leaving him with a bloody jaw and nose.