Human Rights Commissioner: "Teachers' and Students' Rights Are a Symbiotic Relationship... Beware of Blaming 'Human Rights Ordinance'"

Song Doo-hwan, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, stated on the 28th, "There are points to be cautious about in the claims by some that human rights violations against teachers have arisen due to the emphasis on student rights or because of the enactment of student human rights ordinances."

Song Doo-hwan, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the same day, Chairperson Song issued a statement regarding the death of a teacher at Seoul Seoi Elementary School, saying, "Teachers' authority and students' human rights are by no means contradictory or opposing, nor are they mutually exclusive."

He cited positive changes brought about by the student human rights ordinances, such as the disappearance of corporal punishment practices, relaxation of dress codes, and student participation in the process of creating school regulations. He emphasized, "These hard-earned efforts must not be reversed."

Chairperson Song expressed his commitment to finding solutions that realize both the protection of student human rights and the guarantee of teachers' authority demanded by the school field, stating that he will hold meetings with teachers' organizations next month to listen to opinions from the field.

The Human Rights Commission also plans to conduct a survey on the human rights situation of teachers. Based on the results, it will promote comprehensive policy recommendations related to creating human rights-friendly schools.

Chairperson Song urged, "The education authorities should closely examine the human rights conditions faced by teachers and strive to prepare comprehensive measures that allow all school members to teach and learn safely from the perspective of 'creating human rights-friendly schools.'"

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