Presidential Office: "Student Rights Ordinance Faces Many Criticisms of Infringing on Teacher Authority"... Revision Accelerates

Presidential Office: "Already a Matter Discussed Socially"
Yoon: "Ministry of Education Must Enact Notifications and Amend Ordinances"
Ministry of Education to Present Detailed Guidelines Next Month

On the 24th, the Presidential Office directly criticized the Student Human Rights Ordinance, stating that "there have been many criticisms that it unilaterally infringes on teachers' rights." Although the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and related enforcement decrees have been amended since President Yoon Seok-yeol took office, the intention is that the Student Human Rights Ordinance, which has been criticized for infringing on teachers' rights, should also be revised to accelerate the restoration of teachers' rights.

A key official from the Presidential Office said in the afternoon at the Yongsan Presidential Office when a reporter asked whether "some parts of the Student Human Rights Ordinance are unreasonable or if it is unreasonable overall," "Both aspects exist," and made this statement.

Regarding the ruling party's criticism that teachers' rights have declined due to the Student Human Rights Ordinance implemented by progressive education superintendents, the official said, "There have already been many discussions in our society, and the media has reported extensively," adding, "This issue is likely being re-energized due to a particular recent incident."

He continued, "Even in the regions or education offices where this ordinance was created, there are talks about needing to revise it a bit, which clearly indicates there are problems," and criticized, "It inevitably leads to a reasonable inference that it distorts our educational field and, in particular, infringes on teachers' rights to teach and manage student life."

The Student Human Rights Ordinance was a system promoted in 2010 by Kim Sang-gon, former Gyeonggi Province Superintendent of Education and former Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs under the previous Moon Jae-in administration, and is currently implemented in some city and provincial education offices.

However, following the recent death of a teacher at Seo-i Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, there have been continuous outcries over absurd realities such as students assaulting and verbally abusing teachers, and parents filing lawsuits against teachers even for general student discipline. Along with this, demands for protecting teachers' rights and revising the Student Human Rights Ordinance have also emerged.

At the senior secretaries' meeting presided over by President Yoon that morning, he ordered, "Since the revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and enforcement decrees, adopted as a national agenda to strengthen teachers' rights, has recently been completed, promptly prepare the Ministry of Education's official guidelines, which serve as concrete guidelines for frontline sites," and added, "In consultation with the ruling party and local governments, also proceed with revising unreasonable local ordinances that infringe on teachers' rights."

Lee Do-woon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, explained the purpose of President Yoon's directive during an afternoon briefing, saying, "Since its launch, the Yoon Seok-yeol government has consistently pursued policies to strengthen teachers' rights. Establishing teachers' rights is the normalization of education and ultimately benefits students, based on this policy philosophy."

Earlier, in December last year, the National Assembly amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to strengthen student life guidance authority, including physical sanctions and separation measures in cases of teachers' rights violations. The Ministry of Education also announced in December last year the "Measures to Prevent and Respond to Infringements on Educational Activities," which includes recording serious class disruptions in student records, and last month amended the enforcement decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Presidential Decree) to allow teachers to discipline and guide students.

Immediately following President Yoon's directive, the Ministry of Education announced it would revise the Ministry's official guidelines. Deputy Minister of Education Jang Sang-yoon announced at the Government Seoul Office the "Plan to Revise Official Guidelines and Local Ordinances to Protect Teachers' Educational Activities," stating that specific guidelines for teachers' legitimate educational activities and student life guidance will be prepared by next month.

The plan aims to guarantee teachers' educational activities by, for example, defining the specific scope of student guidance methods delegated in the enforcement decree, such as possession of inappropriate items and warnings or discipline during class time, effectively limiting some of the anti-discrimination and privacy protection provisions contained in the Student Human Rights Ordinance.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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