Parent Files Criminal Complaint Against Teacher 2 Years After Elementary Student Injured During Beanbag Toss

A parent has filed a criminal complaint against a teacher two years after their elementary school child was injured during a classroom beanbag-tossing activity.

According to the education community on September 22, parent A of an elementary school in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, filed a complaint with the police in June against teacher B on charges of professional negligence resulting in injury, claiming that B was negligent in safety management inside the classroom. Teacher B was recently questioned by the police.

In the complaint, parent A stated that in June 2024, their child—who was in the fourth grade at the time—slipped and fell while throwing and catching beanbags in the classroom. The child suffered injuries including a dislocated patella in the knee and received treatment for over six weeks, but continues to experience recurring symptoms such as pain, swelling, and numbness.

A added that teacher B violated the duty of care to protect student safety and caused serious injury to the student by directing inappropriate activities in a hazardous environment.

Parent A argued that at the time, the classroom floor posed a risk of slipping for students wearing socks, and the beanbag activity also carried a risk of accidents during landing and maintaining balance.

Beanbags are small cloth pouches filled with items such as beans or plastic.

At the time of the accident, students were throwing beanbags toward the ceiling under B's guidance, clapping their hands multiple times, and then catching the beanbags again.

This is a morning warm-up activity designed to encourage light physical movement before regular classes begin.

Teacher B, who retired from teaching in 2020, was temporarily in charge of the class containing A's child as a substitute teacher at the time of the accident.

Teacher B expressed deep frustration regarding the criminal complaint filed by parent A.

Rebutting the claims, B stated, "It was an unpredictable, accidental mishap," and added, "I never neglected my duty of care as a supervisor."

B also emphasized that the beanbag activity was an educational program conducted by all grades at the school for 7 to 8 minutes before classes started at 9:00 AM, noting that physical and athletic activities for children are also encouraged in training programs organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

B explained that students were instructed to throw the beanbags no higher than 30 centimeters and that the classroom floor was not slippery.

Regarding parent A's claims about the child's lingering injury symptoms, B asserted that the student had participated in a marathon event last year.

Teachers are deeply concerned that parent A's criminal complaint may further chill educational activities in schools.

Regarding an incident in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, in 2022 where an elementary school student died in a traffic accident during a field trip, a teacher indicted on charges of professional negligence resulting in death was sentenced in the first trial to six months in prison with a two-year suspension, and to six months in prison with a suspended sentence in the second trial.

However, education officials explained that it is highly unusual for a parent to file a criminal complaint against a teacher over a student injury resulting from a school safety accident.

In a phone call, teacher B said, "I heard that some teachers are so afraid of safety accidents that they couldn't do beanbag activities with students for an entire year," adding, "I am worried that teachers will become even more reluctant to carry out normal educational activities."

Hyun Kyung-hee, spokesperson for the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, voiced concern, saying, "If safety accidents occurring during educational activities without any intent or negligence on the part of the teacher lead to criminal accusations, it will be difficult for teachers to perform normal educational activities out of fear of punishment."

She further urged, "The system must be improved so that Article 268 of the Criminal Act regarding professional negligence resulting in death or injury is not applied to safety accidents that happen during normal educational activities."

In school settings, non-overnight field trips are also decreasing significantly due to complaints regarding safety accidents and teachers' burden of responsibility.

According to data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on September 15, the implementation rate of non-overnight field trips at elementary schools in Seoul dropped sharply from 79% in 2024 and 51% in 2025 to 26% this year.

In response, the Ministry of Education has stated that it will pursue revisions to laws that strengthen the protection of teachers concerning school safety accidents.

(Photo: Provided by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.