The traditional view on discipline indicates that a teacher has the authority to discipline an unruly or misbehaving child if it is necessary to maintain order in school. In Ramsay v Larsen [1964] HCA 40, the High Court of Australia held that in a teacher-pupil relationship the teacher has the power of reasonable chastisement to maintain order in and out of school. In doing so, the teacher can override the authority of the parent.
Similarly, a reasonable physical restraint of a student for disciplinary purposes (i.e. to protect the student or others from harm) is not legally actionable, as it would constitute part of the teacher’s duty to implement the Education Department’s policy on discipline. In Victoria, a failure by a teacher to restrain a student from harming another student may constitute professional misconduct.