In response to an incident in August in which a student at a middle school in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province assaulted a teacher, resulting in injuries requiring 12 weeks of recovery, the South Gyeongsang Teachers' Union issued a statement urging the establishment of legal measures against violence toward teachers.
On September 24, the South Gyeongsang Teachers' Union released a statement demanding: immediate establishment of criminal penalties for assaulting teachers; strengthening and ensuring the effectiveness of the Teacher Rights Protection Committee; guaranteeing not only student rights but also teacher rights and the right to education; and providing teachers with legal protection equivalent to that of medical professionals.
The union stated, "Assaulting a teacher is not a mere infringement of teacher authority, but a serious crime," adding, "Being a student cannot serve as an excuse, and regardless of the severity of the incident, students must be held accountable for their actions through criminal punishment."
The union further asserted, "Students who commit violence against teachers must be immediately and completely separated from the victimized teacher," and insisted that "at a minimum, strong disciplinary actions such as forced transfer or expulsion must be imposed."
They also called for increasing the proportion of on-site teachers in the Teacher Rights Protection Committee and establishing a legal basis to require school administrators to file criminal complaints in cases of teacher assault.
The union emphasized, "In classrooms where teachers are not respected, students' right to learn cannot be guaranteed either," and described the incident as "an obvious act of child abuse that inflicts severe trauma not only on the victimized teacher but also on classmates. To protect the majority of students, violent students must be firmly sanctioned."
Additionally, the union stated, "Teachers are educational professionals and public officials responsible for maintaining classroom safety and order," and argued, "Just as emergency room medical staff receive enhanced legal protection when assaulted, teachers should also be protected by strong legal measures."
The statement included a petition signed by 1,703 teachers nationwide, including 1,006 from the South Gyeongsang region, calling for the establishment of legal measures against violence toward teachers.
Teachers who participated in the petition drive, which ran from September 18 to 23, commented, "No matter how young, everyone must take responsibility for their actions," "With only light punishments, children learn that their actions are not serious and that nothing significant will happen in the future," "If proper punishment and reflection do not occur, bigger problems will arise in society," "At times, we are told not to treat them as immature, yet in situations like this, they are not held accountable," and "Both the perpetrating student and their parents should face strong punishment."
Other comments included, "Please create an environment where teachers can teach properly," "How long must we remain the weaker party? Teachers want to be respected like other workers," "We need strong punishment and measures to prevent recurrence; we genuinely want to teach," "As time goes on, I become more doubtful about being a teacher, and every day I fear whether I can continue in this profession," and "I hope at least our basic human rights are protected."
Previously, on August 19, homeroom teacher A, who was in charge of first-year students at a middle school in Changwon, was assaulted by third-year student B, resulting in serious injuries requiring 12 weeks of recovery.
During the incident, teacher A entered the classroom during lunch to find student B causing a disturbance and asked, "Why is a third-year student in a first-year classroom?" Student B then engaged in a physical altercation, pushing teacher A to the ground, causing significant injuries to the teacher's back and other areas.
The Changwon Office of Education, which handled the case, convened the Teacher Rights Protection Committee on September 10 and imposed a 10-day suspension from school and a requirement to complete 10 hours of psychological counseling for student B.
Disciplinary actions for students who infringe upon educational activities include: 1) school service, 2) community service, 3) completion of special education or psychological counseling, 4) suspension from school, 5) class transfer, 6) school transfer, and 7) expulsion.
The committee reportedly considered disciplinary actions such as class transfer but ultimately decided on the above measures, taking into account the impulsive nature of the incident.
In response, the South Gyeongsang Teachers' Union criticized, "We feel deep anger and despair at the lenient disciplinary action taken by the education authorities," adding, "Such lukewarm punishment sends the wrong message to violent students, undermines teachers' sense of duty, and clearly shows how lightly the authorities regard teachers' safety and rights."
The union also appealed, "There is a prevailing notion that teachers must endure everything, even when subjected to violence by students," and added, "We no longer wish to endure violence and threats under the name of education."
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