Aggressive, entitled parents to be banned from school in behaviour crackdown

Principals will be given the power to ban parents from school grounds if they engage in unreasonable and harmful behaviour under proposed state laws covering public, Catholic and independent sectors.

School leaders will be able to issue school community safety orders against adults who engage in unreasonable or threatening behaviour, such as excessively emailing, calling or texting school staff, which would prevent them from coming within 25 metres of school grounds, camps, sporting venues and excursions.

The laws explicitly ban parents subject to an order from contacting staff via email, phone, social media or school-specific apps.

Failure to comply with a school community safety order could trigger an application being made to the Local Court of NSW for a protection order. If breached, this could result in a fine of up to $5500.

The bill will cover all schools – independent, public and Catholic.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the legislation would ensure every student has access to quality education with a “focused and committed teacher”.

“Harassment and abuse of teachers impacts their ability to teach and can drive them from the profession, with students suffering the consequences,” she said.

One principal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her employment, says the abuse has become a routine part of the job.

At the morning kiss-and-ride outside a Sydney boys’ school the principal has been called a “c—” and “bitch” by parents for insisting students exit the car safely. Her inbox is regularly flooded with emails from demanding parents and she has had parents tower over her before.

In almost 20 years she has watched a small minority of parents who “suck up, the majority of time” become angrier, more entitled and more willing to ignore basic boundaries.

‘The abuse that you cop in writing, on the phone and in person is appalling. There have been times when I’ve been scared, definitely scared, when someone gets right into your personal space.’

Principal at Sydney boys’ school

“I am wearing thin … I can understand why people give it all away,” she said. “The abuse that you cop in writing, on the phone and in person is appalling. There have been times when I’ve been scared, definitely scared, when someone gets right into your personal space.”

“This issue with parents is not limited just [to] state schools. It’s all of us, and in many cases, the more they pay, the more they think they own you.”

Australian Catholic University’s Associate Professor Paul Kidson, who undertakes an annual survey of principals’ wellbeing, said the legislation was “unfortunately warranted”.

“Despite the positive and collaborative approach most schools take, an increasing number of parents think it’s OK to be mistreating principals and teachers,” he said.

“The fact it’s a warranted response is really disappointing – it means other approaches [to engage with families] haven’t worked.”

The new law brings NSW’s protection of school staff in line with other jurisdictions like Victoria, which enacted similar laws in 2022.

“We know that this takes place outside [school hours] but the impact is felt at school,” Kidson said.

Abuse of school principals is soaring nationally. Kidson’s survey of principals from 2024 found that 50 per cent of school leaders reported they had been subjected to physical violence. One in five of those harmed said parents were the source.

‘Despite the positive and collaborative approach most schools take, an increasing number of parents think it’s OK to be mistreating principals and teachers.’

Associate Professor Paul Kidson, Australian Catholic University

The same survey reported physical violence incidents had increased by 81.6 per cent since 2011.

More than 35 per cent of school leaders reported being subject to cyberbullying, and almost 90 per cent of those surveyed said parents were responsible.

Previously, principals have relied on outdated legislation to ban harmful parents from schools. However, this protection stopped at the school gates and did not cover external sites such as drop-off and pick-up zones, nor did it cover behaviour online or correspondence via phone and email.

While teachers and staff can take out an apprehended personal violence order (APVO) against a community member, this can only occur with the approval of the minister.

Blue Mountains Grammar School deputy principal Owen Laffin said he has observed a rise in poor parent behaviour across the sector.

He said while 99 per cent of parents are “lovely, gentle, generous, caring people, acting out of love for their child”, a small proportion takes things too far.

“It’s become so normal, particularly for principals, deputy principals, heads of pastoral care, to cop abusive behaviour,” he said.

NSW Secondary Principals’ Council president and Ulladulla High School principal Denise Lofts said the bill would allow principals to “draw a line in the sand”.

“What it does is it gives time and space for principals to say, ‘enough’,” said Lofts.

NSW Primary Principals’ Association president Michael Burgess said the bill would give principals an extra tool to manage misbehaving parents.

“For the vast majority of parents, we have positive relationships. This is a small group of people who have become more extreme in their behaviours. This bill gives us another tool,” he said.

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