Gwangju Teachers' Union: "Anonymous Complaints on National Petition Portal Fail to Protect Teachers"

Proliferation of Anonymous Complaints and Lack of Transparency Criticized
"Educational Activities Undermined... Call for Full Disclosure Throughout the Process"

The Gwangju branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union has called for protective measures for teachers' educational activities, criticizing the anonymity and lack of transparency in the complaint system for teachers operated through the National Petition Portal.

On September 26, the Gwangju branch of the union issued a statement, saying, "The current complaint system does not protect teachers; instead, it causes psychological pressure and infringes on their human rights."

They particularly pointed out that the structure, which does not disclose the identity of complainants, encourages malicious complaints. The system allows anyone-not just student guardians-to raise issues with teachers' classes and guidance, forcing teachers to respond to complaints even when they are baseless.

The union also criticized the lack of transparency in the complaint handling process. Teachers are often unaware of the specific complaints raised against them and are only required to submit explanatory documents requested by the Office of Education, without being able to fully understand the substance of the complaint or monitor the response process.

The union argued that such a structure discourages legitimate educational activities by teachers and lowers the quality of education, and called for improvements to the system. Specifically, they proposed the introduction of a real-name complaint system, restrictions on who is eligible to file complaints, and transparent disclosure of the entire process from complaint submission to response. They emphasized, "Creating an environment where teachers can fully focus on education is the most important investment for the future of our children."

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