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Abused and battered, teachers losing authority in S. Korea

January 7, 2016

By Chung Hyun-chae

Teachers are losing their authority, with students and parents harassing a growing number of them.

A recent case shows the situation has reached a worrying level, with four high school students verbally abusing and hitting a male teacher during class.

According to the data that Saenuri Party lawmaker Lee Jong-bae received from the Ministry of Education, Sunday, there were 26,111 cases of teachers being abused by students or parents at elementary, middle and high schools from 2011 to 2015.

Using abusive language took up the largest cases, 16,485 or 62 percent, followed by obstructing classes, 5,538 or 21 percent. In 436 cases, teachers were physically attacked; and in 375, pupils sexually harassed female teachers.

“Such cases lower morale among teachers, so the education authorities should prepare effective measures to prevent abuse and help teachers focus on teaching students,” Rep. Lee said.

As one measure, the National Assembly passed a revision to the Special Act on the Improvement of Teachers’ Status, Thursday, more than two years after the bill was submitted.

Under the revision, if a teacher is abused or assaulted by students, the principal should act immediately to protect the teacher and report the case to the regional educational office or the Ministry of Education.

Also, principals must not play down or cover up such cases and are responsible for fully supporting the victims to receive counseling. The educational authorities cannot impose penalties against schools having such cases, a measure aimed at preventing a possible cover-up.

Abusive students will receive special education or psychological treatment with their parents attending to prevent the students repeating such behavior.

In the recent case at a high school in Gyeonggi Province, a student on Dec. 23 posted on his social networking service (SNS) a video clip showing four students verbally and physically abusing a part-time teacher in his 30s.

The students hit the teacher with a broom while swearing and spitting at him. The teacher keeps saying, “Stop it.”

The teacher told police he did not want the students punished. But police booked them without physical detention on suspicion of violence. Police will send the case to the prosecution.

The school will also set up a disciplinary committee to decide on the punishment for the students.