Parents Victoria recently ran a parent survey about the recent industrial action in Victorian schools.
Overall, responses to the survey reflected a diverse and sometimes polarised range of views about teacher industrial action. While some families expressed significant frustration about disruption, childcare, missed learning and the financial impact, many strongly supported teachers and education support staff and connected teacher working conditions with student learning and wellbeing. 73% of respondents said the industrial action is justified and they support the teachers’ claimsA consistent theme across both supportive and critical responses was the need for properly funded public schools. A clear majority of respondents said this should be the top priority in resolving the dispute. They also raised concerns about teacher workload and retention, student behaviour and inclusion, support for students with additional needs, education support staff pay, school communication and the quality of student reports.
Overall, responses to the survey reflected a diverse and sometimes polarised range of views about teacher industrial action. While some families expressed significant frustration about disruption, childcare, missed learning and the financial impact, many strongly supported teachers and education support staff and connected teacher working conditions with student learning and wellbeing. 73% of respondents said the industrial action is justified and they support the teachers’ claimsA consistent theme across both supportive and critical responses was the need for properly funded public schools. A clear majority of respondents said this should be the top priority in resolving the dispute. They also raised concerns about teacher workload and retention, student behaviour and inclusion, support for students with additional needs, education support staff pay, school communication and the quality of student reports.
There was also a clear appetite for greater certainty and transparency for families around industrial action — including notice periods, what schools can and cannot do during industrial action, and how decisions affecting students and families are communicated.
Main themes of parent comments
- Strong support for teachers and public education: Many respondents said teachers deserve better pay and working conditions, and that public schools need substantially better funding. Several linked teacher working conditions directly to students’ learning and wellbeing.
- Concern about the impact of strikes on families and students: Other respondents expressed frustration about lost school days, childcare and work arrangements, financial costs, and the particular impact on students in senior years. Some felt the disruption had gone too far.
- A desire for the dispute to be resolved: Even some respondents who supported teachers expressed a strong preference for an agreement to be reached and for further industrial action to cease.
- Funding emerged as a major issue: “Fully fund public schools” was a recurring message, alongside concerns about schools having to fundraise for basic facilities and about the relative funding of public and private education.
Teacher workload, retention and support: Respondents raised workload, difficult student behaviour, increasing student needs, teacher shortages/attrition, support for students with disability and additional needs, and the pay and conditions of education support staff. - Concerns about the quality and accountability of education: A smaller but vocal group questioned teacher performance, reporting practices, workload and leave arrangements, and whether increased pay would translate into better educational outcomes.
- School reports and communication were a particular concern: Several parents were unhappy about reports containing no individual teacher comments and wanted clearer information about their child’s progress and learning.
Families want better information about industrial action: One recurring practical issue was insufficient notice of school closures or disruption and uncertainty about what schools, teachers and families are expected or permitted to do during industrial action. - Calls for longer-term reform: Some respondents called for bipartisan commitment to public education funding, better workforce planning, clearer information about industrial action, improved inclusion and disability support, and changes to how schools and resources are managed.
- Political views were expressed on both sides: Some comments criticised the union’s perceived political affiliations, while others criticised government policy and called for stronger political commitment to public education.