Current Teacher: "Recording Teacher Rights Violations in Student Records? Schools Become Battlegrounds for Complaints"

Sangwoo Lee, Geumam Elementary School Teacher, MBC Radio Interview
"Establishing a Teacher Protection System is a Priority"

Lee Sang-woo, a teacher at Geumam Elementary School in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, said regarding the view that the cause of teacher rights violations is the Student Human Rights Ordinance, "If that were the case, places without the Student Human Rights Ordinance should have higher protection of teacher rights, but that is not necessarily true."

In an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 24th, he said, "Both student rights and teacher rights should be respected; if one side is suppressed, it only increases confrontation and conflict," adding, "Having the Student Human Rights Ordinance does not mean teacher rights violations are more severe, and I understand there is no significant difference."

On the afternoon of the 20th, mourners visiting Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, waited in line to pay tribute by offering flowers at the temporary memorial space for the late teacher Mr. A. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He also expressed a negative view on the consideration of recording teacher rights violations in the student record as a countermeasure.

He said, "The current School Violence Prevention Act is problematic because recording school violence incidents in the student record turns schools into battlegrounds for complaints, which suppresses teachers' educational activities," and "Although the intention is good, if the Ministry of Education only records incidents without establishing a system to protect teachers, the harm will ultimately fall on both teachers and students."

Lee said, "The Child Abuse Punishment Act and the School Violence Prevention Act were created with good intentions, but the problem is that they are causing teachers' educational processes to be suppressed and other students to suffer," adding, "Few teachers expect to retire with tenure; they live in constant fear that if they are ever accused of child abuse, they might have to quit teaching at any time."

As a solution to the issue of teacher rights violations, he said, "If signs of teacher rights violations are clear and disruptive behavior in class is severe, the principal and vice principal should assist with counseling and guide the student," and "Like in advanced countries, our country should also allow exclusion if class disruption is severe."

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