Students Shocked Refuse to Attend School
Education Authorities Suspend Teacher from Position
An elementary school teacher in Gyeongnam who verbally abused elementary students has been handed over to the prosecution. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Bora Lee] A teacher at an elementary school in Gyeongnam who verbally abused fifth-grade elementary students has been sent to the prosecution.
The Child and Youth Crime Investigation Unit of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency announced on the 6th that they have forwarded teacher A, who was a first-grade homeroom teacher at an elementary school in the province, to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the Child Welfare Act (emotional abuse) and violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (aggravated punishment for workers).
According to the police, teacher A is accused of emotionally abusing 12 fifth-grade students by verbally abusing and using harsh language twice in mid-October.
At the time, teacher A reportedly made abusive remarks to the students such as "You are worse than pigs," "Your parents hate you and are raising you as monsters," "The reason I called you dog XX is because dogs are treated better than people these days," "Are you still students? Go farm," and "You are worse at studying than first graders."
It was investigated that the fifth-grade students who heard the teacher's verbal abuse were unable to attend class that day and left early. Subsequently, all fifth-grade students refused to attend school. Parents also visited the principal's office to protest.
In response, teacher A threatened the fifth-grade students by saying, "All those who called their parents XX, come out. Bringing your parents is an infringement of teacher authority," and "I will report this to the police." Later, teacher A publicly apologized in a meeting with students and parents, and the education authorities removed A from their position after the verbal abuse became known.
The police received a report from the school and conducted a full investigation over about 40 days involving 12 victim students and 66 students in the entire school. They judged that teacher A's use of inappropriate language constituted abuse and decided to forward the case.
A Gyeongnam Office of Education official stated, "Based on the police investigation results, disciplinary procedures against teacher A will be carried out."
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