"I Didn't Get Any Wrong": Elementary Student Assaults Teacher During Answer Review Session

KTU: "Violence Undermining the Foundation of Public Education"

An incident involving a violation of teachers' rights occurred at an elementary school in Gyeonggi Province, where a student assaulted their homeroom teacher with fists and kicks.

According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and other sources on the 27th, at around 1:15 p.m. on May 9, a third-grade student, referred to as Student A, struck Teacher B's knee, hand, and ankle with his fists and feet in a classroom at an elementary school in Gyeonggi Province. Despite Teacher B's attempts to stop him, Student A further pinched and scratched the teacher's hand.

The incident occurred while Teacher B was distributing the results of a math unit test and conducting a review session for incorrect answers. It was found that Student A, upon seeing his own incorrect answers, shouted loudly, "No, I got them all right," and engaged in these actions during his protest.

After the incident, the Gunpo-Uiwang Office of Education requested the school to convene the Regional Teachers' Rights Protection Committee. Teacher B was given special leave and sick leave to separate him from Student A, and psychological counseling was offered. An official from the Gunpo-Uiwang Office of Education stated, "We will provide psychological and legal counseling for the affected teacher and take swift action regarding Student A through the Regional Teachers' Rights Protection Committee."

It was reported that Student A submitted an apology letter to Teacher B together with his parents.

Regarding this incident, the Gyeonggi branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) issued a press release, calling it "violence that undermines the foundation of public education" and demanding an active response from the education authorities. A representative from the KTU Gyeonggi branch claimed, "The perpetrating student threatened the teacher, saying, 'I came to ruin today's class,' but adequate protective measures for the teacher and other students were not implemented."

The representative further pointed out, "Although the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was revised earlier this year to provide a legal basis for separation measures and physical restraint, these measures remain ineffective in practice due to the lack of budget and other necessary conditions." The KTU added, "We will launch a signature campaign regarding this incident, deliver the results to the National Assembly, the Ministry of Education, and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, and actively reflect these demands in future discussions on legislation to protect teachers' rights."