Vigilante parents attack bullies

VIGILANTE parents are attacking teachers and students as young as six in vicious schoolyard confrontations after their own children fall victim to bullies.

In what the NSW Department of Education fears is a growing trend, at least 20 frustrated parents engaged in "violent and anti-social behaviour towards pupils and teachers" in the first half of 2012 - most of which was fuelled by the belief schools weren't doing enough to protect their children.

In one shocking example, the father of a female student in the Hunter region allegedly approached a boy in year 11 and verbally abused him before punching him in the mouth and splitting his lip.

In another incident, a school mother allegedly threatened to assault a deputy principal's son because she was frustrated the Bourke school wasn't doing enough to prevent her year 9 son being bullied.

She then allegedly verbally abused a female teacher in the library then grabbed her by the throat.

In another outburst, police were called after the mother of a North Coast student allegedly violently and repeatedly punched, kicked and scratched her school's principal within full view of students.

Even students as young as six haven't been immune to the violence. In May, the mother of a primary school student in the Illawarra allegedly entered the school and approached a year 1 boy and threatened him before grabbing him by the back of the neck.

According to the Education Department most cases were investigated by police and led to a number of bans under the Inclosed Lands Act.

Parents and Citizens Association publicity officer Rachael Sowden said she understood some parents' frustration but taking matters into their own hands was not the answer.

"Obviously parents get frustrated when they don't feel they are being listened to and when there are concerns around their children," Ms Sowden said.

"Parents have a right to be concerned about something that's happening to their children so it is understandable that they become emotive.

"What we would suggest is if you feel the need to take it into your own hands, that you contact the school to arrange a meeting, or the children's parents rather than the children - that's never appropriate and ranting and raving won't fix the problem."

NSW Secondary Principals' Council deputy president Chris Presland said some parents had unrealistic expectations.

"Our school has a really good process making it easy for parents to make contact with teachers but I don't doubt there are parents who act inappropriately," Mr Presland said.

"Other parents expect they can speak to the teacher immediately, but the teacher is in class almost all day."