‘Leadership crisis’: WA school principals walk away from role in droves amid rapid spike in abuse and workload

Escalating violence, extreme workloads and growing rates of depression are driving WA school principals to throw in the towel according to the latest results of a health and well-being survey. The annual research by the Australian Catholic University has delivered a sobering found that nearly 60 per cent of Western Australian principals reported physical violence in the past 12 months, making it one of the most high-risk place to work in the country. The national figure was 47.8 per cent. The findings show threats and intimidation are common in both metro and regional schools, with the rate up almost 71 per cent since the first report in 2011. More than half of the 2,044 respondents said they had seriously considered quitting, as online abuse, after-hours harassment and gossip from parents and caregivers surged. Family members were behind almost 90 per cent of cyberbullying directed at principals and 66 per cent of threats of violence. A troubling 41.9 per cent of principals triggered a “red flag” warning that their health was at risk from the abuse. WA had the third highest rate of principals reporting thoughts of self-harm or feeling “better off dead”. Nationally, severe anxiety rose to 10.3 per cent up by 1 percent on the previous year, while severe depression climbed to 8.2 per cent from 7.2 per cent. The report says the results point to psychosocial safety failures by employers and calls on the government and community leaders to work directly with principals to ensure they get support. It also warns of a potential mass exodus of experienced school leaders in WA, with more experienced principals at risk of leaving as school complexity and behavioural pressures grow. Principals’ Federation of WA President, Kya Graves says WA education is at a concerning crossroads. “We are losing and will continue to lose significant knowledge and expertise,” she said. “It’s a leadership crisis, many educators are walking away and others aren’t wanting to step up... this job wears on you. “There were no surprises in there (the report)... and that’s a shame, because we should never be expecting that sort of data.” Ms Graves said psychosocial risks need to be identified and then have strategies implemented to protect the mental health of school leaders. Education Minister Sabine Winton says WA school principals will receive up to $4000 each under a new $1.62 million wellbeing package aimed at helping them manage the pressures of running schools, as the State Government also doubles down on its crackdown on classroom violence. The funding which is part of the Principal Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023–27, gives leaders access to personalised support services. “Principals operate in increasingly complex environments, and it’s important they have access to the right support services to do their jobs effectively and sustainably,” Ms Winton said. The program includes a dedicated wellbeing coordinator, extra counselling sessions and a panel of approved service providers to ensure help is accessible and independent. Ms Winton said the Government was also reinforcing its stance on school violence. “The message is clear — violence has no place in our schools and will not be tolerated,” she said. “Our teachers deserve to feel safe at work, and our students deserve to be taught in a safe classroom environment. “While violent behaviours must have consequences, we also want to address the underlying causes and help students develop positive strategies.” Earlier this month, The West Australian reported on footage that emerged online of students at Baldivis Secondary College taunting their relief teacher, mocking and shouting at her, running their fingers through her hair, vaping in her face and walking around on her desk.