Educators have spent the past two years facing down the threat of COVID-19 and addressing the ever-changing needs of kids at school, but the results of a new survey show they’ve been dealing with yet another growing and serious problem behind the scenes. The American Psychological Association (APA) recently released a report showing threats of violence against teachers and other educators became disturbingly common during the pandemic, and in many instances, parents were the perpetrators.
The survey, conducted from July 2020 to June 2021, includes responses from nearly 15,000 education professionals. The majority are teachers, but other respondents include school psychologists and social workers, administrators, school resource officers, paraprofessionals and other school staff. Of those surveyed, respondents from every group reported instances of threatening behavior from parents and students.
Over 40% of school administrators and 29% of teachers say they’ve experienced at least one incident of verbal harassment or threats of violence from parents since the pandemic began. More than a third of teachers and administrators also report experiencing verbal harassment or threats of violence from students. The types of threats named in the survey included cyberbullying, intimidation and even sexual harassment.
The increased aggression from parents and students has taken a significant toll on educators. According to the survey, teachers and school personnel report high stress levels, as well as feeling unsafe and unsupported in their work environment. Almost half of teachers say they desire to quit their jobs or transfer to another school or district due to concerns about school climate and safety.
“I have never had such aggression toward me from the community, the board of education, and my administration in my life,” one educator who participated in the survey says. “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.”
Schools have been at the heart of several debates in recent months. Throughout the pandemic, classrooms and school board meetings became a focal point in the battle over mask wearing. Parents in several districts were arrested for threatening violence against administrators or physically assaulting school staff.
In addition to tensions caused by the pandemic, some parents and educators are also warring over curriculum. In several districts, parents and politicians are working to ban books in classroom libraries that discuss topics related to gender, race and difficult or painful parts of history, like the Holocaust.
In states like Florida and Iowa, legislators have passed bills banning teachers from discussing certain topics related to gender, sexuality and racial equality. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott unveiled a proposed “parental bill of rights” in response to intense debate over how certain subjects are taught in schools. The proposed rules would require schools to give parents advanced access to their child’s complete curriculum and the option to file a formal complaint if they’re unhappy with what’s being taught.
Regardless of how individual parents or policymakers feel about these issues, it’s clear that educators at every level are facing more scrutiny than ever and tensions are high between parents and school staff. Those who participated in the APA survey say that in order to combat the problems they’re facing at work, they need more mental health support, more resources, a bigger say in educational decisions and a more cooperative relationship with students and parents.
The U.S. is already in the midst of a teacher shortage. If more teachers follow through on their desires to quit or transfer, as expressed in the APA survey, it could negatively contribute to what is already a nationwide problem. Throughout the pandemic, educators have seen kids and their families through distance learning, school closures and so much more. For those who value the hard work and sacrifice of these educators, this survey is an important wakeup call that the people who do so much important work for kids at school may need the support and advocacy of their communities more than ever.