Teacher organizations expressed opposing views on the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance, which was abolished after 12 years of enforcement.
The Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) issued a statement on the 26th titled "Position on the Abolition of the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance," stating that "the forced enactment of the student human rights ordinance, which excessively emphasized student rights, brought about this result."
The KFTA explained, "The abolition of the student human rights ordinance should serve as an opportunity to balance rights and responsibilities to protect the learning rights of many students and teachers' rights," adding, "Currently, students' rights and human rights are protected and guaranteed by the current Constitution, the Framework Act on Education, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and school regulations regardless of the presence or absence of the student human rights ordinance, so the abolition does not mean the disappearance of laws protecting student human rights."
They continued, "On the other hand, in a survey conducted by the KFTA last year on Teachers' Day, only 9.2% of teachers responded that they were protected in their rights," adding, "Now, a special law to protect teachers' rights is more urgently needed."
The Seoul Metropolitan Council held the 3rd plenary session of the 323rd extraordinary meeting on the same day, submitted the "Ordinance to Abolish the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance," and passed it with unanimous approval from all 60 members present. Seoul city councilors affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea protested the submission and did not participate in the vote. Seoul is the second city to abolish the student human rights ordinance after Chungnam.
The "Seoul Student Human Rights Protection Coalition" (Gongdaeui), consisting of about 260 civic groups including the Seoul branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), condemned, saying, "We impeach the People Power Party Seoul city councilors who trampled on the human rights of Seoul students in the name of Seoul citizens and students."
The coalition pointed out that the city council's Education Committee is currently reviewing the abolition ordinance, and with lawsuits filed to invalidate the acceptance and proposal of the abolition ordinance, the Seoul Administrative Court is reviewing its legality. They criticized the city council for ignoring these procedures and committing a "violent act." They further criticized, "Only the absurd arguments that some religious groups' sexual misconduct, homophobia, and confusion between selfish rights and universal human rights make students ill-mannered were represented by the People Power Party city councilors."
The coalition urged, "The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education should immediately demand the city council to reconsider (re-vote) this outrageous decision under the superintendent's authority," emphasizing, "Human rights do not disappear when trampled upon."
Meanwhile, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is conducting a 72-hour tent sit-in protest against the abolition of the student human rights ordinance at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education this afternoon.
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