Seoicho Principal "Not Responsible for School Violence"
Teachers' Groups Hold Press Conference, Teachers' Memorial Procession
Cho Hee-yeon "Installation of Memorial Altars, Revision of Special Act"
It was recently revealed that on the 18th, a female teacher in her 20s at Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, took her own life on school grounds.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the education community on the 20th, elementary school teacher Ms. A was found dead inside the school on the morning of the 18th. A school official discovered the body and reported it to the police. It is known that no students witnessed the scene as it occurred before school hours.
On the 19th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education issued a statement saying, "The police are currently investigating the exact cause of the incident." It was reported that no suicide note was found at the scene inside the school.
The principal of Seoi Elementary School released a statement on the school’s website that morning, expressing, "All staff members deeply mourn with a heavy heart," and added, "Although she was a newly appointed teacher as of March last year, she showed great passion for her duties, arriving early in the morning and diligently preparing for her students as an excellent teacher." The principal also refuted rumors circulating online about the cause of death, stating that the deceased’s homeroom grade was assigned according to her preference and that her responsibilities were related to 'NAIS authority management,' not 'school violence' tasks.
He further explained, "Since March 1, there has been no change in the homeroom teacher for her assigned class, and there have been no reports of school violence in that class this year," adding, "The teacher never visited the Education Support Office." He also denied online allegations involving a 'politician’s family.'
On the morning of the 20th, condolence wreaths along with post-it notes containing memorial messages were placed in front of Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Im Chunhan]
Teacher organizations and educators have called for a thorough investigation. The Teachers’ Labor Union Federation (Teachers’ Union) issued a statement demanding an unreserved investigation and inquiry from the education authorities and police. At 4 p.m. that day, the Teachers’ Union held a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to urge for the truth. A bereaved family member attending the event appealed, "The cause that drove a young teacher to make such an extreme choice at her workplace must be clearly revealed." The Korea Federation of Teachers’ Associations (KFTA) also held a press conference at 2 p.m. in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. In their statement, KFTA called for a thorough investigation and vowed to take full-scale action targeting the National Assembly, Ministry of Education, and education offices.
From the morning of that day, condolence wreaths sent by elementary school teachers nationwide lined up in front of the school. Dozens of post-it notes with messages such as “We are truly sorry, senior teacher who has run the path of teaching for so long. We will make sure your death is not in vain” were attached to the school gate. Elementary school teachers gathered through teacher communities planned to hold a candlelight memorial ceremony in front of the school that afternoon.
Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, expressed deep condolences to the deceased and her family during a nationwide meeting of provincial education superintendents held at the Southern Office of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. He said, "There are suspicions that serious infringements of teacher rights may have caused the teacher to end her life at school. If true, this is a grave challenge to our education system." He emphasized, "Guaranteeing teachers’ rights and educational activities is the first step of public education. If teacher rights collapse, public education collapses. Protecting teacher rights goes beyond teachers’ human rights; it protects other students’ right to learn. Any infringement on educational activities is unacceptable under any circumstances."
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho is speaking at a meeting with provincial education superintendents held at the Southern Office of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, also expressed deep responsibility in a statement that day, saying, "The police investigation into the cause of death is underway, but as the person responsible for education in Seoul, I feel a profound sense of responsibility." He added, "If the bereaved family agrees, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to set up a memorial altar at the Gangnam-Seocho Education Support Office to allow sufficient time for mourning and condolence." He also stated, "I take very seriously the reality that teachers’ legitimate educational activities are not being protected," promising, "Urgent special measures must be prepared, and above all, I will work to amend the ‘Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes’ which is most urgently needed in schools."
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to operate a memorial altar at the Gangnam-Seocho Education Support Office for three days from the 21st to the 23rd. The altar will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
※ If you or someone around you is experiencing difficult feelings such as depression or other hard-to-talk-about concerns, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling through the Suicide Prevention Hotline 1393, Mental Health Counseling 1577-0199, Lifeline 1588-9191, Youth Hotline 1388, the youth mobile counseling app ‘Da Deureojul Gae,’ KakaoTalk, and other services.
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