Protect staff first – IEU backs tougher safety measures
The IEU is backing stronger School Community Safety Orders (SCSOs) and urging employers to act with urgency to counter increasing threats to staff safety.
IEU General Secretary David Brear has strongly backed the state review of the orders which proposes changes that would make SCSOs easier to use and enforce.
‘Earlier this year, our extensive survey of our largest cohort, Victorian Catholic school staff, revealed that safety is as urgent an issue for staff as fair pay. Without real protections, clear behavioural standards, and genuine consequences for abusive conduct, schools will continue to lose experienced educators.
‘Teachers are asking not just to be heard but to be protected, supported and treated with respect.’
David said members had reported that student disruption is the single largest impact on staff wellbeing and a primary cause of teachers choosing to leave the profession.
The IEU has been informing our members about SCSOs since 2021, and we continue to recommend their use to protect staff and students from harmful or abusive behaviour.
Under the proposed settings, principals could more readily ban abusive parents or carers from school grounds and online forums for up to 12 months, with on-the-spot verbal bans of up to 14 days when threats are imminent.
David says it is troubling that these orders are not being widely used in the Catholic and independent sector.
‘Too often principals feel they lack the authority to act without head office approval, and corporate employers are not showing enough urgency in protecting staff, including principals, despite the teacher shortage crisis.’
Since 2022, 35 orders have been issued – including cases involving a weapon threat and an assault on a student – yet principals report the current process is too complex and enforcement too weak.
David said members had reported that student disruption is the single largest impact on staff wellbeing and a primary cause of teachers choosing to leave the profession.
‘They are saying ‘Make this issue a priority. Help us be heard.’’
The IEU supports SCSOs as a practical, proportional tool that helps schools act decisively when other options have failed. The orders sit alongside trespass notices and personal safety intervention orders, allowing leaders to intervene early, set clear boundaries and keep learning on track.
‘The OHS crisis in schools requires immediate intervention. We need strong measures to curb inappropriate behaviour from parents and caregivers and to ensure a safe and respectful environment for school leaders.’
Crucially, the orders are designed to be flexible and targeted to risk.
‘Victorian School Community Safety Orders give principals the authority to act when staff or students are threatened. They allow principals, under delegation or with departmental approval, to exclude individuals from school grounds, events, or contact with staff and students, and to set conditions for future contact.
‘These orders are an important tool to protect the school community, and their use should be encouraged.’
The government’s statutory review recommends cutting paperwork for ongoing orders, clarifying protections for staff targeted on social media, and giving police a more defined role in enforcement.
An online consultation with principals, teachers, parents and carers is underway, and final changes will require Cabinet approval.
The IEU is urging members to participate and to keep documenting incidents, escalating concerns early, and issuing safety orders where appropriate. Schools cannot wait for a perfect solution before taking reasonable steps to address harmful conduct.
With stronger, clearer SCSOs – and consistent support from employers – school leaders can act quickly to ensure teachers, principals and support staff are safe, respected and able to focus on teaching and learning.
