{"id":2201863,"date":"2023-08-01T17:00:23","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T08:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201863"},"modified":"2023-08-02T19:11:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-02T10:11:00","slug":"violence-against-teachers-raises-alarm-about-south-koreas-toxic-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/08\/violence-against-teachers-raises-alarm-about-south-koreas-toxic-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Violence against teachers raises alarm about South Korea\u2019s toxic schools"},"content":{"rendered":"
In late June, two teachers in South Korea sustained injuries after their students assaulted them, revealing a rising tide of violence against educators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A female teacher in Seoul was diagnosed with <\/span>post-traumatic stress disorder<\/span><\/a> and injuries demanding a three-week recovery after a physical assault by her sixth-grade student. Another female teacher in Incheon endured a <\/span>neck injury<\/span><\/a> requiring hospitalization after her student forcefully threw her to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n The episodes form part of a disturbing trend. <\/span>Data<\/span><\/a> from the Korean Federation of Teachers\u2019 Association (KFTA) indicates that 1,249 teachers reported experiencing physical assault or attacks by students and parents between 2017 and 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n Incidents like these have inflicted both physical and mental damage on educators, inducing <\/span>depression and panic attacks<\/span><\/a> or worse.<\/span><\/p>\n On July 18, for instance, a 23-year-old teacher <\/span>killed herself<\/span><\/a> while alone in her elementary school classroom in Seoul after she was reportedly overwhelmed by a <\/span>barrage of late-night calls and complaints<\/span><\/a> from parents.<\/span><\/p>\n Her untimely death has served as a wake-up call, driving teachers to seek changes to what they call a toxic educational ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n In response to her death, <\/span>over 30,000 teachers and their supporters<\/span><\/a> rallied in downtown Seoul on July 29 to demand a safe classroom environment and legal protections for teachers.<\/span><\/p>\n The demonstrators singled out the country\u2019s <\/span>Child Welfare Act<\/span><\/a>. They claimed it is the leading cause behind the erosion of their professional autonomy, though they <\/span>rejected the idea<\/span><\/a> of ditching it altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want changes to the students\u2019 human rights ordinance. Their rights are important and should be safeguarded,\u201d Lee In-hoi, an elementary school teacher from Gyeonggi Province, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe want a corresponding legal system for teachers that allows us to safely discipline and educate kids without fearing unjust accusations by parents.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n