PARENT BULLYING TOWARD TEACHERS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine parent bullying experienced by teachers working in private schools based on teachers’ perspectives and to reveal the forms and content of these experiences. The study was designed within the framework of the qualitative research approach, and the study group consisted of teachers employed in private schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that teachers experience parent bullying in various forms, including questioning professional competence, grade-related pressure, intimidation and complaints as means of exerting pressure, the use of institutional authority, and acts of discrediting. The results indicate that parent bullying is not merely an individual communication problem but rather a structural phenomenon associated with the redistribution of power relations within the context of private schools. The marketization of education in line with neoliberal policies and the positioning of parents in power through economic capital weaken teachers’ pedagogical autonomy and make symbolic forms of pressure more visible. It is believed that the findings of this study will contribute to the reconsideration of teacher–parent relationships in private school settings and to the strengthening of professional protection mechanisms for teachers.