"Threatened with Scissors Regularly"... 30s Teacher Who Tried to Restrain Aggressive Elementary Student Faints

Victimized Teacher "Reported Physical and Mental Hardships to School"

A first-grade elementary school student in Gyeongbuk who exhibited aggressive behavior caused a female teacher to faint while trying to restrain him, resulting in her hospitalization.

According to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education on the 12th, at around 1 p.m. on the 7th, a female teacher in her 30s, Ms. B, fainted after having a seizure while trying to restrain a first-grade student, A, who was acting aggressively in a classroom at an elementary school in Andong, Gyeongbuk. Ms. B, who has been employed for four years, reportedly collapsed suddenly after restraining A for about 30 minutes.

The hands and wrists of a female teacher in her 30s who is in charge of a first-grade class at an elementary school.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A, who is relatively small in stature, was known to have threatened classmates and teachers with scissors or pencils on a regular basis. Due to his aggressive tendencies making it difficult to conduct classes smoothly, at the teacher’s request, A’s mother was present in the classroom during lessons from April to May.

However, A’s mother stopped coming to the school following a request from the principal, and since then, A’s violent tendencies worsened. It is said that the number of students imitating this behavior also increased. Teacher B stated, "One day, A’s mother suddenly stopped observing the class after arriving at school and went home immediately. When I asked what happened, I was told that the principal had instructed her not to come to school anymore."

Teacher B claimed, "Since I never knew when or how the student might act out, I went to the principal and expressed my physical and mental difficulties, asking for ways to protect me. I also requested the drafting of an internal document and the convening of a Teacher’s Rights Protection Committee in preparation for any emergencies, but no clear measures were put in place."

"The school seems to have recently realized the seriousness of the situation"

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article.

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education and the Andong Education Support Office are belatedly working to resolve the situation by investigating the incident at the school. However, there is a dispute between the school and Teacher B.

An official from the Andong Education Support Office told Yonhap News Agency, "The vice principal, principal, and the head of academic affairs responsible for teacher rights said that the homeroom teacher never requested the convening of the Teacher’s Rights Protection Committee," adding, "It seems the school has only recently realized the seriousness of the situation."

The official continued, "Due to the student’s excessive behavior, the mother observed the class during the first semester, and no unusual incidents occurred while she was present. From June, the homeroom teacher said ‘he is doing well now,’ so the mother stopped attending, which was confirmed by the mother herself."

Ministry of Education: "Restoring teacher rights recognized as the top priority"

Meanwhile, following the death of a teacher at Seo-i Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, in July, voices demanding the restoration of teacher rights have surged among educators. In response, on the 11th, the Ministry of Education held a briefing at the Government Seoul Office, chaired by Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, stating, "Since legislation to protect teacher rights is urgent, we will approach consultations with an open mind."

He added, "Even after the tragic death of the Seo-i Elementary School teacher, several teachers have made extreme choices, which weighs heavily on us. Above all, we recognize stabilizing school sites through swift measures to restore teacher rights as the top priority."

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