11 Teachers Reveal How They Were Bullied Or Harassed By Students And Parents
A recent study revealed that 80% of the teachers surveyed had encountered bullying and harassment from students and parents in the past year.
Parent/student-teacher dynamics have certainly changed since most of our schooling days, and not necessarily for the better
In a recent study conducted on 560 teachers across Australia, a whopping 80% of respondents admitted that they have encountered some form of bullying or harassment from students and parents over the last nine to 12 months.
The study, conducted by three lecturers from La Trobe University, revealed that the most common form of student bullying is verbal aggression, including students swearing at, yelling, and verbally disparaging teachers. Some teachers also recorded being hit or punched by a student, having their personal property damaged, harassment over phone calls and text messages, and students lying to get teachers into trouble, amongst others.
Some teachers also encountered bullying and harassment from parents, some of whom would verbally disparage and yell at teachers, argue on behalf of their children, and in some cases, physically attack or attempt to intimidate teachers.
In light of the study, an educational resource centre in Singapore called upon its fellow teachers to share their personal experiences of being bullied by students or parents... and found themselves "surprised and shocked" by the stories:
1. A pregnant teacher developed high blood pressure after being "chased after" by a scissor-wielding student
2. Parents in the government sector who used their work email to send in complaints
3. Parents blamed a teacher for not motivating their son to complete his homework
4. A parent demanded to see a teacher's marking scheme because her child did not get full marks
5. Parents' prejudice against a foreign teacher backfired on them when their child ended up "sticking like glue" to a teacher they disliked
6. A student's grandmother displayed micro-aggression against a teacher who wore a scarf on her head
7. A teacher recalled being physically attacked and verbally abused by a student
8. A boy who walked out of a self-study session told his mum that the teacher chased him and his friend out of the class
9. Parents who looked down on their own child's teacher because they don't "earn a lot"
10. The principal and vice principal who decided to take the student's side when said student showed a teacher the middle finger
11. And last but not least, a pre-school teacher was falsely accused of abusing a student who wasn't even in their class in the first place
The compilation of stories, which was posted on 9 May, has been shared over 3,600 times on Facebook. You can see the full post here:
With Teachers' Day fast approaching, here are some heartwarming stories about teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students:
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