Teacher took own life due to parents' bullying: Seoul's education office

Social Affairs

Published: 18 Dec. 2023, 14:09 Updated: 18 Dec. 2023, 14:24

Teacher took own life due to parents' bullying: Seoul's education office

The father of the deceased teacher at Sangmyung University Teacher’s College Experimental Elementary School in central Seoul, who took her own life in January due to parents' bullying, wipes his tears during a press conference held at Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in downtown Seoul on Friday. [NEWS1]

A 28-year-old teacher who took her own life in January suffered from depression due to severe bullying from parents, Seoul's education office said Friday.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the contract teacher, who worked at Sangmyung University Teachers College Experimental Elementary School in downtown Seoul, had to deal with parents’ complaints and requests outside her working hours.

When the young teacher, identified by her surname Oh, had to deal with a school violence case that occurred among her homeroom students in June last year, parents of the involved students harassed her with threats like, “I will put you in jail” and “I will make sure you never work as a teacher again.”

According to Oh's family, she had to go on sick leave starting June 13 as she could not sleep or eat normally due to the incident. Oh worked as a contract teacher for six months from March to August last year at the school in central Seoul.

She was in charge of a grade 2 class, which was unusual for an inexperienced contract teacher. Experienced full-time teachers are usually responsible for lower elementary grades due to the high workload and frequent complaints from parents.

According to Oh's family, she received over 1,500 calls and text messages from parents between March and June last year.

She was diagnosed with depression in January and took her own life on Jan. 15. The education office said doctors concluded that her death was caused by depression.

In a journal entry shared by the family, she wrote on Dec. 7, “Please remember, I am a strong and kind person. This shall pass.”

“Don’t give up. You are a capable teacher.”

Oh’s family plans to file criminal complaints against the involved parents.

The education office began looking into Oh's case after her father publicly asked for an investigation into his daughter's death during a press conference that was held after the death of a teacher at Seo 2 Elementary School in July.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]