Teaching This? ... 'Angry' Gyeongnam Residents Demand Withdrawal of 2022 Curriculum Revision Proposal

A rally demanding the scrapping of the 2022 revised elementary and secondary school curriculum draft was held on the road in front of the Gyeongnam Office of Education. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Residents of Gyeongnam Province have called for the abolition of the 2022 revised curriculum draft.

On the 25th, the Barun Value Protection Gyeongnam Residents' Union, Gyeongnam Christian Federation, Gyeongnam City Revival Movement Headquarters, over 2,600 churches in the province, about 120 civic groups, and parent coalitions shouted for the complete cancellation of the 2022 revised elementary and secondary school curriculum draft on the road in front of the provincial education office.

The rally was attended by Won Daeyeon, Standing Representative of the Barun Value Protection Union, Gil Wonpyeong, Chair Professor at Handong University, Park Eunhee, Representative of the National Parents' Union, Park Minjeong, Teacher of the Korea Teachers' Union, and Baek Jeonghye, Representative of the Gyeongnam Textbook Research Institute, among others.

About 1,000 residents claimed that the revised draft, which has been administratively announced from the 9th to the 29th, “violates constitutional values and the political neutrality stipulated in the Framework Act on Education, and is filled with partisan bias and content following specific ideologies.”

According to the groups, the revised curriculum includes ▲ sexual liberation ▲ sexual revolutionary ideas ▲ cultural Marxism ▲ feminism ▲ genderism, among others.

Gil Won-pyeong, Distinguished Professor at Handong Global University, pointing out the issues of the 2022 revised draft of the elementary and secondary school curriculum. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

The groups criticized, “The Ministry of Education intends to include homosexuality, transgender issues, a third gender beyond male and female, the right to engage in sexual activity, the right to choose gender, legalization of same-sex marriage, and the right to abortion in textbooks.”

“Sex education centered on male and female genitalia, contraceptive education introducing birth control pills and methods, education on sexual self-determination rights, and pleasure-oriented sex education are being conducted,” they said, adding, “responsibility, duty, and respect for life are nowhere to be found, leading children down the path of indulgence and sexual decadence.”

They further pointed out, “The value of gender equality stated in the Constitution is ignored, and the scientific and biological distinction of sex is replaced by gender as a social and cultural performance,” and “due to media influences such as broadcasts and films glorifying homosexuality, children confused about their sexual identity are encouraged to explore a third gender and various sexual identities.”

They also stated that the revised draft is “full of prohibitions against expressions opposing homosexuality, emphasis on the necessity of enacting a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, comprehensive sex education similar to pornography, and a biased and distorted view of history.”

They did not hesitate to criticize the uneven page allocation under the name of cultural diversity education, with 6 pages for Buddhism, 2 pages for Christianity, 18 pages for Islam, and content that glorifies Islam.

Residents of Gyeongnam are calling for the cancellation of the 2022 revised draft of the elementary and secondary school curriculum and the withdrawal of the National Human Rights Policy Basic Plan. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

The groups said it is difficult to find education on the founding spirit of the Republic of Korea and pride in the establishment and development of the nation.

They also emphasized, “The term 'women's reproductive rights,' which is inhuman, is used to induce viewing humans as production tools or materials,” and “it seriously undermines the awareness of human dignity and respect for life.”

The groups lamented, “Recently, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the National Human Rights Commission have dismantled the concept of a normal family, which has been a union of a man and a woman, and the revised textbooks also instruct not to present the existing concept of a normal family,” adding, “it also includes education on prohibiting discrimination against minorities.”

“It explicitly mentions sexual minorities within minorities and justifies preferential treatment measures granting privileges to them,” they said, “and banning expressions of rejection toward social minorities in daily life paralyzes students' free thinking and critical consciousness.”

The groups declared, “We will resist any attempt by the Ministry of Education to destroy the future of the Republic of Korea,” and urged, “Completely discard the current revised draft and reorganize the textbook writing team to rewrite it.”

One resident appealed, “Do not ignore the issues raised now by thinking that your child is grown up and your own children would not be affected,” adding, “This is what my children and grandchildren will learn immediately, and it will be ingrained in their minds for the next seven years until the next revision.”

Another resident said, “Public education is official education, so private education follows it,” and “If such abnormal education is taught and yet people are told to have many children and raise them, no matter how much support money is given, who would want to have and raise children in this country?”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.