After a student at a middle school in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, pushed a female teacher during a guidance session in August and caused her to suffer a serious injury requiring 12 weeks of recovery, the Gyeongnam Teachers' Union criticized the authorities' decision to suspend the student from attending school as a "passive response."
On September 17, the Gyeongnam Teachers' Union issued a statement saying, "It is incomprehensible that the only action taken by the education authorities in response to such a serious incident, where a student assaulted a teacher resulting in a 12-week injury, was merely a suspension from attendance."
The teachers' union argued, "A suspension from attendance is not a punishment, but merely an evasive measure," adding, "It does nothing to help ensure the safety of the victimized teacher or restore teachers' rights, and it also fails to make the offending student realize their responsibility."
The union further stated, "The fact that the Teachers' Rights Protection Committee chose a temporary measure like suspension from attendance instead of substantial sanctions such as criminal charges, even in the face of serious physical harm to a teacher, symbolizes that the final safeguard for protecting teachers' rights is collapsing."
They also pointed out, "This could send a distorted message to other students that even if they assault a teacher, they will only face a brief suspension from attendance."
The union emphasized, "The right of teachers to teach in safety and the right of students to be respected in a learning environment are never in conflict," adding, "As long as teachers' safety is not guaranteed, students' right to learn will inevitably be fundamentally compromised."
The union went on to demand: ▲ a review of sanctions for the offending student as guaranteed by law ▲ institutionalization of public deliberations by a nationwide Teachers' Rights Protection Committee for serious violations of teachers' rights ▲ and the establishment of clear standards and principles regarding assaults on teachers.
Chairman Lee Chungsoo stated, "The practice of the education office to respond arbitrarily and passively to incidents of violations of teachers' rights must be stopped immediately."
Previously, at around 12:50 p.m. on August 19, first-grade homeroom teacher A at a middle school in Changwon was assaulted by third-grade student B while providing guidance after B caused a disturbance in the classroom during lunchtime.
Student B pushed teacher A while engaging in a physical struggle after being asked, "Why is a third-grader in a first-grade classroom?" As a result, teacher A fell and suffered significant injuries to the lower back and other areas, requiring 12 weeks of recovery.
The Changwon Office of Education, which handled the case, convened the Teachers' Rights Protection Committee on September 10 and decided to impose a 10-day suspension from attendance and require 10 hours of psychological counseling for the student.
Measures that can be taken against students who disrupt educational activities include: 1) school service, 2) community service, 3) completion of special education or psychological counseling, 4) suspension from attendance, 5) class reassignment, 6) transfer to another school, and 7) expulsion.
The Office of Education reportedly made this decision based on the seriousness of the case, but also took into account the fact that the incident appeared to be largely accidental.
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