Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Begins Revising Student Human Rights Ordinance... Incorporating 'Accountability Clause'

Submission to City Council in November After Gathering Opinions
Inclusion of Provisions Prohibiting Disruption and Violence in Educational Activities

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education is set to push for amendments to the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance. The plan includes adding accountability provisions that prohibit interference and violence against teachers' legitimate educational activities.

On the 14th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it has finalized the "Plan to Partially Amend the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance" and will begin the ordinance revision process.

Earlier, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "We firmly oppose the abolition of the Student Human Rights Ordinance," and added, "We are actively considering including accountability provisions alongside students' rights."

The ordinance will strengthen the obligation to respect human rights for faculty and staff, reflect the obligation to comply with school norms established with student participation, and include the duty to cooperate in educational activities. It will also include provisions prohibiting interference with teachers' legitimate educational activities.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Additionally, the ordinance will prohibit physical and verbal violence against other students and faculty members. It will also include restrictions on possession of items that threaten the safety of other students and faculty, or infringe on learning rights, such as weapons, drugs, and obscene materials. Provisions to guarantee other students' learning rights will also be included.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to prepare the amendment within this month and collect opinions from student participation groups and teacher organizations by next month. After a legislative notice in September, the amendment will be submitted to the Seoul Metropolitan Council after November this year.

Superintendent Cho said, "We must be cautious of movements that seek to roll back student rights by taking advantage of recent (teacher rights violation) incidents," and added, "By reinforcing accountability to balance rights and responsibilities, we will create schools where students' human rights and teachers' educational activities are harmoniously respected."

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