"Damage that could cause blindness, brain injury, or death"
"Still in the same class as the offending student"
Interior view of an elementary school classroom. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A parent has claimed that their elementary school child, who was injured when a classmate stabbed their eye with a pencil, was not recognized as a victim of school violence.
On June 7, a petition titled "Please transfer the student who stabbed the eye with a pencil" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board.
The petitioner, A, who identified themselves as the parent of the victim, stated, "During class, while my child was standing in line to submit an assignment, the perpetrator approached from behind and stabbed my child's eye with a pencil," adding, "This was an injury to the eyeball, not just the eyelid."
They continued, "My child's sclera was torn about 12mm, causing the contents to leak out, and emergency surgery was performed at a university hospital, where three stitches were made on the cornea," explaining the situation at the time of the incident. "If the injury had been any deeper or slightly to the side, it could have resulted in blindness, brain damage, nerve damage, or even death."
A petition posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. / Photo by National Petition Board capture
It was also reported that A’s child received hospital treatment over several weeks.
He said, "After the initial emergency surgery at the university hospital, a second procedure was performed. There were hospital visits for more than six weeks," adding, "The doctor said that some aftereffects might still occur. My child is receiving psychological treatment due to extreme fear and anxiety, and I ask whether the injury caused by the perpetrator should not be considered school violence."
However, A claimed that the school did not classify the incident as school violence. He said, "The perpetrator admitted, 'I thought I was being attacked, so I stabbed,' but the education authorities said the perpetrator was young and the evidence was insufficient, so it was not school violence," expressing disbelief at the decision.
He added, "The school has taken no action, and the perpetrator is attending classes normally," expressing frustration, "They say the perpetrator and the victim must remain in the same class, even though we don't know when another attack might happen."
A pleaded again, "Please reconsider this school violence injury case and restore the victim’s basic right to education in a safe and secure environment," and earnestly asked for support in urging the transfer of the perpetrator student.
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