Teachers union told to cease spreading anti-U.S. messages

President Roh Moo-hyun said yesterday that the Ministry of Education and Human Resources should advise the Korea Teachers and Educational Workers Union to stop teaching anti-Americanism.
“The president said that anti-Americanism is a serious issue, and one that should not be touched in school,” said Song Kyoung-hee, the spokeswoman of the Blue House.
The teachers union has allegedly been trying to circulate anti-war videotapes and leaflets to primary and secondary school students, an official at the Blue House said.
A middle school teacher in Gyeonggi province, who is a member of the union, showed her class slides of a woman, who allegedly was brutally murdered by an American soldier, according to sources. The teachers union branch in South Jeolla province printed supplementary materials for classes which said the United States has been manipulating the two Koreas to hate and fight each other since Korea was liberated from Japan.
“Young students, who have not yet firmed their values, might be oriented to hold antipathy toward the United States,” the official added. “Young students deserve to hold various points of view on what is happening in the world.”
The Blue House showed concern over the union’s activities, as the president is planning to visit the United States early next month. The union’s actions might worsen current South Korea-U.S. relations into a diplomatic conflict between the two countries.
The Korean Federation of Teachers Association criticized the teachers union, saying that the government should mete out harsher punishment to people who commit unethical practices with students.
“The teachers were trying to deliver an anti-war message, not to spread hatred toward Americans and their country.” said Song Won-jae, the spokesman of the teachers union. “More dangerous than the teachers’ actions is that anti-war now means anti-America.”

by Choi Hoon