Korean Mother Shares Concerns on US Site Reddit
"Can't Understand Teacher's Attitude... Won't Change Menu"
A story has emerged about a kindergarten teacher in the United States who made a complaint call to the parent of a child who brought kimchi as a lunch side dish, sparking public outrage. [Photo by Asia Economy]
A Korean woman living in the United States sparked controversy after she packed kimchi in her kindergarten-aged son's lunchbox and was harshly confronted by a teacher who said it had an "unpleasant smell."
On the 21st (local time), several foreign media outlets, including the Daily Mail, reported a story posted recently on the American online community Reddit by a netizen identified as Ms. A, a Korean woman in her 30s with a 5-year-old son.
Ms. A said she received a phone call from her son's homeroom teacher after picking him up from school. She explained, "The teacher spoke to me in a very annoyed tone and said, 'Don't pack such inappropriate lunches because they are disgusting.' She said my son's lunch was not only very disruptive to other children but also had an unpleasant smell."
Ms. A added, "I thought I had maintained a good relationship with the teacher until now, so I was shocked to hear that." She also mentioned that her son's lunch menu that day included celery with cheese, kimchi, Spam, and some Doritos chips.
Ms. A stated that she would not comply with the teacher's request. She told the teacher, "I understand your concerns, but the lunch I packed was tailored to my son's preferences," adding, "I will not suddenly change my son's lunch menu. It is very important to me that he eats what he likes."
She also expressed confusion about how to maintain a healthy relationship with her son's teacher and asked netizens for their opinions.
The post sparked a heated debate with over 5,600 comments. Most netizens responded by saying, "That teacher is rude and unqualified to teach children," and "The food the child eats is perfectly normal."
Some advised reporting the issue to the education board to bring it into public discussion. Meanwhile, Korean netizens expressed mixed opinions, saying things like, "Kimchi's smell can be somewhat strong," and "We should also respect that person's opinion."
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