A recent study from The Ohio State University reveals that school administrators are more likely to experience verbal threats and aggression from parents than teachers. The research, published in Psychology of Violence, surveyed K-12 school personnel before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Findings

After pandemic restrictions ended, 77% of administrators reported experiencing verbal or threatening aggression from parents, nearly three-and-a-half times higher than the rate reported by teachers. The study examined various types of aggressive behavior, including public humiliation and cyberbullying. More than one in four teachers reported being publicly humiliated by parents, while over one in four reported being cyberbullied.

Among administrators, more than four in 10 experienced verbal threats, and about one in five reported public humiliation or cyberbullying. The study found that parent aggression toward school personnel continued throughout the pandemic, with 42% of administrators still reporting verbal or threatening aggression during remote learning periods.

Recommendations

Researchers recommend that schools establish support systems, including positive communication between schools and parents, to reduce incidents of aggression. They also suggest that community support, such as perceptions that school districts are investing in education, can help reduce aggression.

Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.