"Principal Must Undergo Autopsy" "If Dads Step In, It's Over"... Verbal Abuse and Power Harassment in Elementary Parents' Group Chat Closed

Abusive Language, Verbal Abuse, and Power Harassment in Anonymous Chat Room
Closure Decided After Media Reports Spark Criticism

Parents of an elementary school in Gangnam, Seoul, who had been verbally abusing and bullying teachers in an anonymous group chat were found out, and the chat room was shut down within half a day.

The photo is unrelated to the article content. [Photo source=Pixabay]

On the 27th, the education media outlet Chang reported, "The anonymous group chat of parents at a public elementary school in Gangnam, Seoul, which became controversial due to excessive remarks and profanity, has been closed amid heavy criticism." The chat room administrator reportedly decided to close the room, stating, "Many outsiders with different intentions have joined, making it difficult to manage."

According to the report released by Chang on the 26th, the group chat was created in 2021 by some parents opposing the 'modular (temporary prefabricated) classrooms' aimed at alleviating overcrowded classes. It was confirmed that the chat room had 366 members, including school parents, until recently.

In this chat room, parents did not hesitate to make remarks such as, "The principal seems to be in very poor health. An autopsy might be necessary," "The principal is not fit for the position," and "She is a crazy woman."

They also pressured teachers. One parent opposing the modular classrooms said, "If the dads step in, it will be the end." Another parent left comments like, "Do you think there are no high-ranking officials among the parents?" Although the modular classroom project was eventually halted, the complaints did not stop.

The parents continued what they called 'complaint play' and 'complaint boasting,' saying, "We started this morning with a morning complaint." According to the report, the school staff reportedly felt anxious due to the monitoring and complaints in the group chat.

However, some parents told the media that not only actual parents but also outsiders were present in the chat room, stating, "There are people whose identities are unknown, and we don't know if they are really parents," and "We are worried that these people, hiding behind anonymity and acting as if they represent all parents, are attacking the school, which might harm the children."