Seoicho Teacher's Handwritten Letter to Parents Earlier This Year: "Happy to Meet Such Good Children"

On the 21st, a memorial altar for homeroom teacher A from Seo-i Elementary School, who died by suicide, was set up at the Gangnam Seocho Office of Education in Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

A teacher in her 20s, in her second year at Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, made an extreme choice, and a handwritten letter she wrote in February this year to the parents of the first-grade class she was in charge of last year has been revealed.

The Seoul Teachers' Union disclosed on Instagram on the 21st a letter written by the late elementary school teacher A (24), who was the homeroom teacher of a first-grade class last year, to the parents at the end of the semester in February. The Seoul Teachers' Union stated, "We received a tip about the deceased's handwritten letter remembered by the 2022 school year parents and are releasing it as a tribute."

In the letter, A wrote, "I want to express my gratitude, so I am trying to convey my feelings through this letter. The year 2022 was truly a gift to me. Meeting such wonderful and kind children and being able to be with them made it a very overwhelming and happy year for me. I often wondered, 'Will I be able to meet such good children again during my teaching career?'"

She continued, "I deeply thank you as a homeroom teacher for trusting and entrusting your precious children and always supporting their school life. Thanks to the strong support of the parents, our first-grade Class O community was able to shine even more. Watching the children grow physically and mentally throughout the year was truly admirable and heartwarming."

A added, "I believe that all the moments of laughter and joy, as well as the moments of frustration and regret, will serve as nourishment in the children's lives, helping them become stronger and more mature beings. Although it may be difficult for us all to gather in the same space in the future, I hope we can remember each other and carry many good memories. Wherever and whenever, I will continue to cheer for the children’s health and happiness for a long time."

A made an extreme choice at the school on the 18th. Since then, various teacher communities have been conducting online and offline campaigns demanding an investigation into the truth and improvements to prevent violations of teachers' rights.