'Fed Cookies Mixed with Sand'... Seongnam City Council Member Files Administrative Appeal Claiming "Disciplinary Action Against Child Is Excessive"

4 Perpetrators Force Victim Student to Eat Snack Mixed with Sand
2 Issue Written Apologies and Change Classes... Victim Student Also Changes Class

An elementary school student accused of school violence and the Seongnam city council member of Gyeonggi Province, whose child was identified as the perpetrator, filed an administrative appeal to cancel the disciplinary action taken by the School Violence Countermeasure Deliberation Committee (Hakpokwi), claiming the measures were excessive.

On the 19th, Yonhap News reported, citing the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and others, that on the 11th, Council Member A (independent) of Seongnam City submitted an administrative appeal to the Seongnam Office of Education. In the submitted appeal, Council Member A argued that the disciplinary action by the Hakpokwi was excessive and requested its cancellation.

Earlier, at an elementary school in Bundang-gu, Seongnam City, a report was received that from April to June, four students including Council Member A’s child committed violence against another student at a park by mixing snacks with sand and forcing the victim to eat it, and by pressing down on the victim’s body as a punishment for a game. The investigating authorities confirmed the school violence and held a Hakpokwi meeting, deciding on written apologies (Type 1) and class transfers (Type 7) for two of the perpetrators. For one student who was less involved, written apology and four hours of school service (Type 3) were assigned, and the remaining student was given a written apology. The victim student, Ms. B, who attended the Hakpokwi, also requested a class transfer and was subsequently moved to a different class.

When this matter became public, in October, Council Member A issued an apology statement saying, "I sincerely bow my head to the student and their family who were harmed, and I also apologize to the citizens." He stated, "As a parent, I take full responsibility for not properly educating my child," and added, "My child has apologized to the victim and deeply regrets and reflects on the incident." He further pledged, "I will ensure that such an incident never happens again."

Despite this apology, the local community criticized the disciplinary measures against the perpetrators as too lenient and called for Council Member A to resign from office. Last month, a candlelight vigil was held urging Council Member A’s resignation. The organizers stated, "Citizens gathered here with candles hoping for a re-examination of the unreasonable disciplinary actions by the education authorities, the resignation of the city council member who is a parent of the perpetrator, and improvements to the inadequate school violence victim protection system." They held signs reading "No ignoring victims," "Responsible apology GO," and chanted slogans such as "Resign ○○○ (City Council Member)" and "Eradicate power school violence."

Some parents have also opposed Council Member A’s administrative appeal. One parent told Yonhap News, "Because Council Member A is currently in office, there is concern that some of the costs incurred during the administrative appeal process may be covered by taxpayers’ money." They added, "We are collecting petitions for strict punishment at parent meetings and are conducting meetings with education authorities to protect the victim students."