Schools sue parents: PV media comment

Media outlets have reported recent cases where schools have sued parents over critical comments on social media.

The Herald-Sun reported on 9 June that “Parents and students ranting against teachers and principals on social media are being sued by schools, with recent court payouts of more than $100,000 for some comments.”

The story was picked up by 7 News the same evening. The 7 News report includes comments from lawyer Nick Duggal, AEU Victoria President Meredith Peace, Education Minister James Merlino and PV Chief Executive Officer Gail McHardy. Only a short excerpt from Gail’s comments was aired in the 7 News report; Gail also referred to PV’s Think, Wait, Communicate campaign.

Family Engagement Officers

When asked about solutions, Gail also mentioned a proposal that PV has been talking about for years; Family Engagement Officers (FEOs) in schools. Schools have found many benefits from having a dedicated FEO, including improved communication between the school and families.

Our website has more information, including:

• FEO page with videos, case studies and research
• Our “Parent-school relationship” flyer, calling for FEOs in all schools, released in 2018
• A parent perspective on the benefits of having an FEO in the school

View the 7 News report