Jumper Left on Field Trip Bus... "Teacher, Will You Pay for My Clothes?"

Jeongyojo Announces 'Cases of Harm During Educational Activities'
"Teachers Also Bear Non-Covered Medical Expenses for Students"
80% of Teachers "Suffer from Anxiety over Safety Accidents"

"In a badminton club, a sixth-grade elementary school student was hit in the eye by a shuttlecock. The student's parent, accompanied by relatives, confronted the teacher responsible for the accident and continuously filed complaints with the school. The teacher even visited the parent's home, knelt down, and apologized to appease them. Although the student's medical expenses were covered by the school safety mutual aid association, the parent demanded transportation costs for hospital visits even after the student graduated from elementary school. Ultimately, the principal had to personally pay the transportation costs to resolve the issue."

It was found that one in three teachers experienced malicious complaints or compensation demands from parents due to safety accidents occurring at school. Furthermore, all responsibility for various safety accidents was being shifted onto teachers, causing educational activities to be stifled.

On the 12th, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) held a press conference in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido and announced the results of a survey conducted from the 22nd of last month to the 4th of this month on "Teacher damage cases caused by student safety accidents, loss or damage of property during educational activities."

On September 4, the 49th day memorial of the late Seo-i Elementary School teacher, a student at Seo-i Elementary School in Seoul is attaching a note with a condolence message to the memorial banner. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@

According to the survey, among about 1,000 teachers, 37.8% reported having directly experienced complaints from parents related to student safety accidents. 45.5% said their colleagues had received such complaints. 0.5% had been directly sued, and 13% said their colleagues had been sued.

Among respondents, 80.4% felt significant anxiety about safety accidents occurring at school, and 82.1% believed that this anxiety greatly hindered educational activities.

The KTU explained that although the School Safety Mutual Aid Association pays for medical expenses and consolation money for safety accidents at school, many parents file civil and criminal lawsuits against teachers or personally demand compensation, citing negligence in supervision.

One case disclosed involved a student in teacher A's class who suddenly complained of abdominal pain at school. Other students said the student had swallowed a magnet during a science class taught by a specialist teacher the previous day. Teacher A immediately informed the parents, and the student underwent emergency surgery.

Part of the medical expenses was compensated by the School Safety Mutual Aid Association. However, the parents demanded additional medical expenses from teacher A and the science teacher, claiming they were responsible. Eventually, teacher A and the science teacher paid a settlement and signed a pledge to prevent recurrence.

There were also cases where teachers were asked to compensate for lost or damaged student belongings. One teacher wrote, "A parent repeatedly called demanding compensation because their child left a jumper on the field trip bus." Another teacher said, "I saw a case where a student threw a ball at a friend, breaking their glasses, and the homeroom teacher was harassed until they paid for the glasses."

Previously, in 2021, a teacher in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, who died by suicide, was confirmed by an education office audit to have sent 4 million won over eight months after being harassed by a parent demanding payment for their injured child's medical expenses at school.

On the morning of the 12th, members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (Jeon-gyo-jo) held a press conference in front of the National Assembly in Seoul to announce the results of teacher damage cases related to student safety accidents.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

A high school teacher in their 60s in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, passed away after being sued for negligence causing injury to a student who was hit in the eye by a ball kicked by another student during a physical education class in June while the teacher was briefly absent.

The KTU stated, "Although the teacher's primary role is teaching and student guidance, teachers have been solely bearing responsibility for numerous unpredictable incidents and accidents occurring at school," and raised their voice, asking, "To what extent and until when will teachers be forced to take unlimited responsibility for educational activities?"

They added, "A special provision should be established that exempts teachers from criminal liability for safety accidents occurring during educational activities, as the School Safety Mutual Aid Association and teacher liability insurance provide civil compensation. Even in civil lawsuits, institutions should represent teachers, and compensation should be covered by teacher liability insurance."