"Drama 'True Education' Reflects Reality"... Teachers Call for Revision of Child Welfare Act Ahead of 3rd Anniversary of Seoi Elementary School Teacher's Death

One day before the third anniversary of the death of a teacher at Seoi Elementary School in Seoul, teachers' organizations held a rally calling for the revision of the Child Welfare Act.

The National Teachers' Alliance, a group of educators centered around the Elementary School Teachers' Union, held a rally in front of the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on July 17, demanding, "Immediately revise the Child Welfare Act, which treats teachers as potential criminals."

According to unofficial police estimates, approximately 4,000 people gathered, dressed in black to mourn the deceased teacher.

Kang Seok-jo, head of the Elementary School Teachers' Union, appealed, "The Minister of Education is only calling for an empty 'educational community,' forcing unilateral sacrifices on teachers by claiming that issues can be solved through 'school culture' rather than legislation. The structure remains where a teacher can be branded a criminal after just one malicious complaint or accusation regarding 'child abuse' for even legitimate classroom guidance."

An elementary school teacher from the Jeonnam region mentioned the recently popular Netflix drama 'True Education,' stating, "It showcased the educational reality that only came to light in South Korean society after the Seoi Elementary School incident: malicious complaints from parents, the resulting atrophy of teachers' guidance, disruption of classes, false child abuse reports, and the absence of mechanisms to protect teachers' rights."

The teacher continued, "This is because of the current Child Welfare Act, which makes even the educational process of teaching rules, mediating conflicts, and correcting wrong behavior subject to reports. Why should the educational rights of teachers who want to teach diligently and the learning rights of the majority of students who want to study hard be infringed upon by malicious complaints and lawsuits?"

Lee Na-yeon, a legal advisor for teachers' rights at the Elementary School Teachers' Union, stated, "While emotional abuse under the Child Welfare Act and the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse is defined as 'acts that harm the mental health and development of children,' many teachers are still facing difficulties in having to prove the legitimacy of their countless words and actions as educators."

She added, "It is time for serious reflection on whether it is the intention of the legislators and the purpose of the law that teachers should hesitate, censor themselves, worry, and live in constant anxiety that they might suddenly receive a complaint or notification of the start of an investigation."

Gyeonggi Provincial Superintendent of Education An Min-seok and Incheon Metropolitan City Superintendent of Education Do Sung-hoon also attended the rally to show their solidarity.

Superintendent An said, "If teachers across the country are suffering the same pain, fearing that legitimate educational activities will be reported as child abuse, this is not a problem of individual teachers but a structural one. I urge the National Assembly to process the revision of the Child Welfare Act as quickly as possible as soon as the standing committees open in the second half of the year."

The 'Seoi Elementary School incident' refers to the case in July 2023 where a teacher at Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, took their own life after suffering from excessive complaints from parents, which sparked public outrage by revealing the reality of collapsed teachers' rights.

The drama 'True Education' depicts a story where a parent who habitually files complaints against an elementary school teacher sues the teacher for child abuse because the teacher did not listen to them, leaving the victimized teacher to be falsely investigated.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.