Violent and aggressive acts by students and parents against teachers and other K-12 staff surged even while many schools were on remote instruction.
One-third of teachers reported experiencing at least one threatening incident of violence from students during COVID, including verbal threats, cyberbullying, intimidation and sexual harassment, in an American Psychology Association survey of 15,000 school staff members covering the period from July 2020 to June 2021. An even higher number of administrators—over 40%—reported being threatened with violence by parents. “Even when many schools were implementing remote or hybrid instruction, there were substantial rates of student physical violence—e.g., objects thrown at participants, ordinary objects weaponized, and physical attacks—against teachers and school personnel,” the survey says. “These rates of violence are extremely problematic and may contribute to teachers and school personnel wanting to quit or transfer.”
Survey participants included 9,370 teachers, 860 administrators, 1,499 school psychologists and social workers, and 3,237 other staff members during a period when the nation not only grappled with the pandemic but also experienced racial unrest, concerns over student mental health, and the aftermath of a disputed presidential election. Almost half of all teachers surveyed—49%—were considering quitting or transferring over concerns about school climate and school safety. About 29% to 34% of school staff, administrators and mental health personnel are also questioning their career paths. The survey also found:
- 37% of administrators and 33% of teachers reported experiencing threatening or aggressive behavior by students
- 42% of administrators and 29% of teachers reported experiencing threatening or aggressive behavior by parents
- 15% of administrators and 14% of teachers said they were the victims of student physical violence
- 22% of other staff members said they were the victims of student physical violence
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The survey doesn’t cover 2022, but teachers, administrators and other staff have continued to be the targets of physical violence. Earlier this week, a teacher and a student were shot while preparing for an after-school event at a high school near Boston, but neither suffered life-threatening injuries, Boston.com reported. A substitute teacher in Texas was injured in an altercation that involved multiple students and desk chairs being thrown, WFAA.com reported.
Earlier this month, a special education teacher in South Florida was hospitalized with a concussion after being attacked by a 5-year-old. Prosecutors, however, declined to file charges against the boy, according to published reports. In Washington, a 14-year-old boy was charged with attempted assault after he allegedly put his belt around a teacher’s neck during class, NBC News reported.
The American Psychology Association survey catalogued several more examples of violence:
- One educator said: “I have been physically assaulted multiple times by students in the building and they know that not only is there no one to stop them, but
there will be no consequences either. I ended up in the hospital the last time it happened.” - A staff member said: “Parents have been more aggressive and verbally abusive to teachers in our district since COVID. The social media posts by parents are vicious and they don’t seem to remember that teachers were already undervalued, underpaid, and overworked before the pandemic. Those feelings have only been made worse by the pandemic.”
- Another staff member said: “I have never had such aggression toward me from the community, the board of education, and my administration in my life. If I could financially quit I would. The belittling of concerns and bullying of teachers from other adults has pushed so many of us to a breaking point. I have been called ungrateful, lazy, whiny, entitled, uncaring, heartless, selfish, stupid, and more. By adults.”
The survey recommends expanding mental health training in self-care and coping with stress for staff and students. Administrators should also all staff in district decision-making, increase parent involvement, and poll students, teachers and other faculty regularly to monitor stress, wellness and other needs.
The American Psychology Association’s Technical Report contains more information on the survey’s findings.
