Father Threatens to beat up teachers at an Elementary School

So you are the administrator at this school when an irate parent decides to move to threaten violence against school personnel. What do you do?

In a perfect world, you would have a school resource officer readily available to help neutralize the situation using verbal de-escalation techniques or possibly arrest if necessary. Due to funding formulas in different districts, this is not always an option. Some do not understand what a teacher deals with on a day-to-day basis. As educators, we must first always understand and empathize with parents. We realize parents have a right to advocate for his/her child; however, it is never okay to make violent threats toward adults.

Erratic behavior is unpredictable, so prevention is often the key. No, one cannot control the actions of others and cannot predict if and when a parent decides to lose their emotional intelligence and turn to violence, but we as professionals must know when not to engage. I often coach educators to do the following:

*Allow the parents to vent (in a respectable manner). They should understand that you want the very best for their student and are on their side; however, there is always more than one side. I remind school administrators that you must stay in control of all meetings on your campus when in attendance. Never allow a teacher to be berated or disrespected in a meeting. (1) Remind your teachers that it is okay to end a conversation and not engage if he/she feels threatened. They can and should excuse themself from the meeting. (2) Make sure your teachers know to report to the nearest peer and administrator when there is a potential threat. This is a team. Teachers should report to their school administrators immediately, and you, as the school administrator should take some sort of action! (3) Reassure your teachers that you will not allow them to be "beat up” on by parents. Yes, adults can disagree without being disagreeable. (4) Do not be afraid to contact law enforcement. Make sure there is a clear plan on what needs to happen in the case of an emergency in your school. I encourage all teachers to have phones available/ walkie talkies/ or other two-way radio devices. Whatever works best in your building. Have teachers have a buddy system in case of an emergency. (5) After the parent is calm, an administrator should always follow up with the parent (even if they are barred from the campus). Make it clear that the school personnel will always be willing and ready to work with parents, but in a calm and respectable manner.

As a school administrator, even if you are not present in situations of this nature, always follow up with your teachers and reassure them that you will not allow teachers to deal with this type of treatment. Of course, your teachers never have to wait on a school or district to file a complaint/ report with law enforcement. This is their right. Refrain from discouraging teachers from filing his/her own police reports outside of school. People must do what needs to be done to feel safe. Do the right thing and do your due diligence to make sure your teachers understand that they are supported. Just as our students are exposed to many stressors, so are the parents. I often remind educators that the frustration that parents might bring to the school may not have anything to do with the teacher or the school. So never take it personally. Be safe, remain cautious, and most importantly, never treat the student differently due to the parent’s actions.

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Dr. White