Four Laws to Restore Teacher Authority Pass Education Committee Subcommittee... Additional Discussion on Student Record Entries Needed

Bill Subcommittee to Meet on 13th and Approve Committee Alternative
Expected to Pass at Full Meeting on 15th

The so-called 'Four Laws for the Restoration of Teachers' Authority,' established to protect teachers' rights, have passed the National Assembly's Education Committee's bill subcommittee. However, the ruling and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement on the provisions regarding the recording of teacher rights violations in student records and the separation of students who disrupt educational activities, and decided to continue discussions.

On the 13th, the Education Committee held a bill subcommittee meeting at the National Assembly and approved the Special Act on the Status Improvement and Protection of Teachers' Educational Activities (Teacher Status Act), the Framework Act on Education, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the Early Childhood Education Act.

At the subcommittee meeting, partial agreements were reached on issues that had shown disagreements between the ruling and opposition parties during the meeting on the 7th. First, both parties agreed on the proposal by Representative Kim Cheol-min to prohibit the suspension of teachers reported for child abuse without justifiable reasons. The Democratic Party had previously advocated for Representative Seo Dong-yong's bill to establish a Child Abuse Case Judgment Committee within the Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education but conceded for the prompt passage of the bill.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The opposition party also withdrew its previous objections and agreed to the government’s proposal regarding the Teacher Status Act, which entrusts the burden of costs related to teacher rights violation damages to the School Safety Mutual Aid Association or similar entities. The government proposed expanding the scope of mutual aid entities to include private insurance companies by adding the phrase 'may be entrusted to the School Safety Mutual Aid Association, etc.' to consider teachers' options.

Democratic Party Representative Kang Min-jung said, "This means schools would be involved in the private insurance market," but added that she would not oppose the amendment if the Ministry of Education includes a proviso considering the reality. The Ministry of Education inserted a proviso in the amendment stating that "the superintendent of education must sufficiently collect the opinions of the affiliated teachers."

Additionally, the subcommittee agreed to amend the Teacher Status Act to require guardians to participate alongside students receiving special education due to disruption of educational activities, with fines imposed for violations. Furthermore, the current law mandating criminal prosecution by the competent education office upon request by teachers affected by educational activity disruptions will be revised to make criminal prosecution discretionary.

On the other hand, there are provisions on which the ruling and opposition parties failed to narrow their differences and decided to continue subcommittee discussions. First, the legislation to separate students who disrupt educational activities during class was opposed by Representative Kang, who proposed the bill, against the government and ruling party’s amendment. Representative Kang argues that the separation measures during student behavior guidance should be legislated separately. However, the government maintains that regulating separation measures separately would violate the legal system.

The opposition party opposed the proposal to record students who commit serious educational activity disruptions in their student records. Democratic Party Representative Kim Young-ho explained, "At the recent Yeouido rally related to the Seo I Elementary School teachers, even though it was a rally demanding the restoration of teachers' authority, teachers opposed recording in student records, which is very telling," and added, "In reality, it was judged that this would not greatly help restore teachers' authority."

In response, People Power Party Representative Lee Tae-gyu said, "The fact that parents threaten lawsuits over student record entries shows that this part is difficult. It can raise awareness to that extent," and argued, "If such a system is steadily maintained, it can be a very good preventive measure against school violence and violations of teachers' rights."

The Education Committee plans to hold a plenary session on the 15th to approve the bills passed by the subcommittee that day. The ruling and opposition parties aim to handle the Four Laws for the Restoration of Teachers' Authority at the plenary session on the 21st. People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun held a meeting with six teacher organizations at the National Assembly that morning and stated, "Our party is promoting this (teachers' authority restoration bill) with the goal of passing it at the plenary session on the 21st."

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