File photo. A student suspected of cheating on a quiz at a girls' high school in Andong, Gyeongbuk, committed suicide./Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] At a high school in Andong, Gyeongbuk, a student suspected of cheating during a quiz left a message in a reflection letter stating that she did not cheat and then took an extreme step.
According to the Andong Police Station and the bereaved family on the 12th, Ms. A, who attended a high school in Andong, was suspected of cheating by a teacher on the 10th, appealed her innocence in a reflection letter, and then jumped from an apartment near the school. Ms. A was found by apartment residents and immediately transported to the hospital but ultimately lost her life.
On that day, during the first period English class performance assessment, Ms. A was suspected of cheating by the teacher and was writing a reflection letter in the teachers' office.
The performance assessment required writing three sentences in English as a review of a famous pop song. At that time, the teacher found a note with English sentences in Ms. A’s desk drawer and suspected cheating.
According to the family, Ms. A denied the accusation, but the teacher did not listen and judged it as cheating. Ms. A was then prevented from attending the second period music class and made to write a reflection letter in the teachers' office.
In the reflection letter, Ms. A wrote three sentences in English and stated, "The sentences that the teacher judged as cheating are not in the performance assessment paper. However, if I receive a zero score, I will accept it."
Afterward, Ms. A left the teachers' office and left the school. The teacher was briefly away from the teachers' office at that time.
When the security guard at the school gate asked where she was going, Ms. A replied, "I am going to the stationery store," and although she did not have a permission slip, she left the school without major issues. Then, Ms. A took an extreme step at an apartment near the school.
The bereaved family claims that the English performance assessment Ms. A took that day was a very easy test, and after being falsely accused of cheating and having no further chance to explain, she took an extreme step out of frustration. They also explained that Ms. A was an excellent student, ranking sixth overall in the midterm exams.
The family said, "If the English teacher who made her write the reflection letter had stayed in the room or if the security guard had asked for permission to go out, she would not have been able to leave the school and would not have jumped."
The police are investigating the circumstances under which Ms. A left the school by questioning the teacher and the student.
※ If you have difficult feelings such as depression or know someone around you who is struggling, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at suicide prevention hotlines ☎1577-0199, Hope Phone ☎129, Life Phone ☎1588-9191, Youth Phone ☎1388, and others.
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