‘Daily abuse of teachers’

GOLD COAST teachers are feeling the weight of abusive parents and students after another school lockdown.

Jodie Walsh, the Queensland Teachers’ Union Gold Coast organiser said yesterday that members were experiencing a number of “challenging behaviours” on a daily basis.

“We hear frequently that our members are dealing with parents who are unreasonable in their expectations, can be abusive and swearing,” Ms Walsh said.

“Harassment unfortunately isn’t a new thing for school staff, especially at a consistent low level.

“Teachers tend to wear this because they put the children first, but it has an impact.

“Those ringing the school making threats over bullying incidents are demonstrating perfect bullying behaviours themselves.”

In a Queensland first, the union and the Education Department have teamed up to provide a trial workshop for school leaders on how to respond to unreasonable behaviours. Demand was so great all 60 places filled in just days.