Teacher Reported for Child Abuse After Shoulder Massage "Bruised" Cleared of Charges

Prosecutors Conclude No Charges After Witness Investigations Including Medical Association

An elementary school teacher who was reported for child abuse after massaging a student's shoulder during class was cleared of charges.

The Namwon Branch of Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 22nd that Teacher A, who had been under investigation for child abuse, was found not guilty.

Teacher A was reported by a parent on charges of child abuse after B, a female student, developed a bruise on her shoulder during a skateboarding class.
[Image source=Getty Images]

Teacher A was accused of causing bruising on Student B's shoulder by massaging it during a skateboard class on April 14. At the time, Teacher A had the students form a train formation during break time, encouraging them to massage the shoulder of the person in front, and Teacher A also joined this formation.

However, a few days later, Teacher A was reported for child abuse by a parent, claiming that Student B had bruises on her shoulder from the massage.

Subsequently, Teacher A appeared for investigations by the police, the Jeonbuk Education Human Rights Center under the Jeonbuk Office of Education, and the Namwon City Child Abuse Task Force. As a result, the Jeonbuk Education Human Rights Center and Namwon Education Support Office determined that it was not child abuse, while the Namwon City Child Abuse Task Force recognized it as child abuse.

Students present at the scene testified that "everyone was just massaging each other's shoulders to encourage one another" and that "there was no atmosphere of child abuse." Additionally, the Korean Medical Association reportedly responded to the prosecution stating that the bruising on Student B's shoulder could not rule out other causes.

After these witness investigations, the prosecution decided to dismiss the charges.