The Presidential Committee on National Integration stated that the 'judicial dependence' on legally resolving internal school conflicts has intensified and suggested that minor conflicts should be resolved within the school.
On the 9th, the Committee on National Integration announced a policy proposal titled 'Restoring Trust in the Educational Community' at a briefing room in the Government Seoul Office.
This proposal was prepared by the social and cultural subcommittee of the Committee on National Integration, which has been discussing with teachers, parents, and experts on school violence and teacher rights protection since January.
The Committee pointed out that recently, conflicts among educational stakeholders such as students, parents, and teachers have expanded beyond the educational field into social conflicts and legal disputes.
The Committee on National Integration explained, "Concerns have been raised that even minor peer disputes are increasingly being resolved through legal disputes due to fears of punishment and disadvantages, deepening 'judicial dependence,' which may cause missed opportunities for educational resolution." They added, "In fact, the number of administrative trials and lawsuits regarding the results of the School Violence Countermeasure Committee has nearly doubled over the past two years, while the final acceptance rate has significantly decreased."
The Committee urged that minor peer conflicts should first be resolved within the school through education-friendly methods.
In the case of lower-grade elementary students, simple peer conflicts that do not amount to school violence should be actively resolved using reconciliation, mediation, and relationship restoration programs at the school level rather than through the School Violence Countermeasure Committee.
They proposed measures to enhance the credibility of the School Violence Countermeasure Committee to prevent conflicts from escalating into legal disputes such as administrative trials and lawsuits, including expanding professional committee members and strengthening education on review procedures and standards.
Additionally, to prevent conflicts within schools, they suggested expanding support measures such as prompt treatment for students at emotional and behavioral risk, including excessive violence and depression.
Furthermore, to prevent school violence and protect victim students while guiding perpetrator students, they called for strengthening rapid information sharing and continuous cooperation systems between school-dedicated police officers and schools.
The policy proposal announced that day will be supplemented through consultations with related ministries and then reported to and finalized by President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the Committee on National Integration, said, "We will continue to strive to restore an educational community where teachers, students, and parents trust each other and to restore schools as true places of education and learning."
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