Parent of 6th Grader Assaulted by Teacher: "I Beg Forgiveness... Can't Contact Because I Don't Know the Number"

Transfer Order for 6th Grade Student

A sixth-grade student who indiscriminately assaulted their homeroom teacher at an elementary school in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, has been transferred to another school.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 20th, the elementary school held a School Authority Protection Committee meeting the previous day and decided to transfer the sixth-grade student, A.

A teacher being assaulted by a student. [Image source=SBS news screen capture]

The School Authority Protection Committee, held by schools and metropolitan/provincial education offices, can impose disciplinary actions on students who infringe on teachers' educational activities, including ▷school service ▷community service ▷special education ▷suspension ▷class reassignment ▷transfer ▷expulsion.

However, since expulsion is practically impossible in elementary and middle schools, which are designated as compulsory education, this transfer is the highest level of disciplinary action for infringement on school authority.

Earlier, it was revealed that the victim teacher, Mr. B, was assaulted in the classroom last month by student A, who punched and kicked him in front of other students and slammed him onto the floor, while also verbally abusing him.

At the time, A, who attends a special class for one hour daily due to emotional and behavioral disorders, wanted to go to physical education class instead of counseling, and the incident occurred during Mr. B’s attempt to persuade him otherwise.

On the 18th, Mr. B told SBS, “I was assaulted once before in March by A, but I endured it. This time, I was hit continuously about 20 to 30 times without a break,” adding, “He slammed me onto the floor and kept stepping on me. I thought I had to survive.”

Due to the assault, Mr. B was diagnosed with injuries requiring three weeks of treatment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and he has been unable to attend work while receiving treatment.

[Image source=SBS news screen capture]

Meanwhile, according to Mr. B’s side, A’s parents did not offer a separate apology regarding the incident. They reportedly claimed, “(A) is taking medication for depression and has borderline intellectual functioning. We requested special attention, but only A was discriminated against and scolded, which led to this incident.”

However, as the controversy grew, A’s parents expressed their apology to SBS on the same day, saying, “We want to ask Mr. B for forgiveness. A is also reflecting on his actions.”

Regarding why they did not apologize earlier, they explained, “We tried to contact Mr. B several times through the school but could not get his personal phone number, so we had no way to reach him.”

Mr. B’s side stated that about 2,000 petitions urging strict punishment for A were submitted both online and offline by teachers until just before the School Authority Protection Committee meeting. Mr. B is reportedly planning to file civil and criminal lawsuits against A this week.