School leaders are facing a surge in appalling verbal and online abuse, with many left suffering anxiety, depression and panic attacks and considering quitting their jobs
More than four in five headteachers say they have been abused by parents in the past year, a grim survey has revealed.
School leaders are facing a surge in appalling verbal and online abuse – and one in 10 have even suffered physical violence. Many have considered quitting their jobs and have been left suffering anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
The dire poll by school leaders’ union NAHT, which surveyed more than 1,600 of its members, revealed verbal abuse was the most common form of abuse suffered, with 85% having experienced it in the past year. This was followed by threatening behaviour (68%), online abuse (46%) and discriminatory language (22%), including the use of racist, sexist or homophobic terms.
The survey exposed widespread reports of trolling on social media and in parent groups on Facebook and WhatsApp – as well as appalling instances of hate campaigns and harassment and intimidation. Some school leaders said the abuse had made their lives a misery to the extent that they had considered quitting the profession they love.
Nearly nine in 10 (86%) said abuse from parents had increased in the last three years, with almost four in 10 (37%) of those saying it had ‘greatly’ increased. Only 1% said abuse had decreased.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT’s general secretary, said: “The vast majority of parents are very supportive of schools and in most cases the relationship between school and home is really positive. However, in recent years we have heard of a worrying increase in the amount of abuse school leaders are experiencing. Some of the stories we are hearing about the appalling abuse leaders and their staff are suffering from parents are almost beyond belief.”
NAHT surveyed 1,642 school leaders across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland from November 4-18.
