Queensland’s public school teachers will walk off the job on Wednesday in their first statewide strike in 16 years.

The state’s teaching union has asked parents to keep their primary and high school children home for the day.

While some media reports have framed this as a pay dispute, teachers insist this is about unsafe working conditions, excessive workloads and not enough resources.

There are, on average, 119 violent incidents in Queensland schools per day.

Teachers describe being punched, kicked and spat on by students and not given any support by their schools.

Particularly since 2018, inclusion policies have brought more students with complex needs into mainstream classrooms. Although the benefits of inclusion are proven, in Queensland this has not been accompanied by extra support.

This strike is unusual. Queensland teachers haven’t staged a full-day, statewide walkout since 2009.

Across Australia, such large-scale action is also rare but not unprecedented. New South........

© The Conversation