Ministry of Education Criticizes Teacher Leave Issue
'9.4 Memorial National Assembly Rally' Organizing Team Disbanded
Annual and Discretionary Leave Likely to Continue as 'Indirect Strikes'
The Ministry of Education issued a warning on the 49th day since the death of the teacher involved in the 'Seoi Elementary School Incident' regarding the teachers' planned 'September 4 Rally,' leading to a movement among teachers to cancel the rally. Opinions are divided among teachers about using collective leave or sick leave and engaging in group actions such as rallies.
The 'September 4 49th Day Seoi Elementary School Memorial National Assembly Rally' organizing team announced on the night of the 27th through a notice that "we have concluded that it is right to fully cancel the rally, disband the organizing team, and return to a single point."
Earlier, on the 15th, a teacher posted a petition titled 'September 4 Public Education Stop Day' on the elementary teachers' community 'Indischool,' and as of 7 a.m. on the 28th, 82,158 teachers from 10,766 schools nationwide had participated. Already, 468 schools had declared September 4 as a discretionary holiday. Two days before the 49th day memorial, on September 2, a '500,000 Teachers General Mobilization Memorial Rally' is scheduled to be held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido.
In response, on the 27th, the Ministry of Education distributed a statement to schools nationwide saying, "There are various ways to hold memorials that are not illegal collective actions. We will strictly take measures according to law and principles against illegal acts." According to Ministry of Education data, if a school principal forcibly implements a temporary closure, it is considered a violation of the National Public Service Act, and the maximum disciplinary actions of dismissal or removal are possible.
However, even on the 4th, opinions among teachers are divided on whether to take leave such as annual or sick leave to participate in the rally. This is because collective leave is a realistic limitation as it constitutes an illegal matter. For this reason, teachers have been holding rallies on weekends, which are non-working days. An elementary school teacher working in Seoul said, "Originally, the plan was to hold the rally on the 2nd and quietly commemorate individually on the 4th, but I don’t know when the rally was pushed forward," adding, "I know that taking sick or annual leave to participate in the rally is illegal."
Regarding this, the organizing team said, "Even those who decided to participate in the rally with sincere will are being accused of causing division," and added, "We hope that teachers will no longer divide and confront each other but unite and raise one voice."
They continued, "There were many opinions that if the rally causes anxiety and concern to more people who want to stop school and commemorate on September 4 than those who want to attend the rally, we should cancel the rally in front of the National Assembly even now," and added, "Since last week, there have been many comments that it is difficult to take discretionary holidays, annual leave, or sick leave because of the rally."
Separately, a teacher who proposed the 'Public Education Stop Day' and collected participation signatures through a website reportedly expressed opposition to the 'September 4 Rally' due to backlash from teacher public opinion. This implies encouraging individual teachers to take sick leave or schools to participate in discretionary holidays rather than attending the rally. The teacher stated on their blog, "The purpose of September 4 Public Education Stop Day is not to cause confusion in individual schools," and added, "It is to encourage teachers scattered individually to gain courage by recognizing the number of colleagues who share the same will."
However, even if the rally on the 4th does not take place, some individual teachers are expected to use annual leave, and some schools are expected to implement discretionary holidays.
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