Court finds teacher verbally abused webtoonist's autistic son

Social Affairs

Published: 01 Feb. 2024, 16:54

Court finds teacher verbally abused webtoonist's autistic son

Webtoonist Joo Ho-min comments on the Suwon District Court's ruling aganist the speical needs teacher on Thursday in Suwon, Gyeonggi. [YONHAP]

A court concluded that remarks made by a special needs teacher to the autistic son of popular webtoonist Joo Ho-min constituted verbal abuse.

While the court imposed a 2 million won ($1,500) fine for child abuse against the special needs teacher, it decided to suspend the sentence.

The judge at Suwon District Court said the emotional abuse inflicted by the special needs teacher should not be taken lightly.

"The role of the teacher is to protect students with disabilities," the judge said. "However, she responded with irritation."

The judge said that expressing sincere hatred for an autistic student was unnecessary and inappropriate.

"The victim’s mental health and development were likely put at risk, given the negative meanings and emotions directly delivered by the remarks," the judge said.

However, the judge said the court recognized only specific aspects of the teacher’s remarks as willful negligence.

The judge suspended the sentencing because the teacher was trying to educate the autistic student.

He also considered the teacher's generally honest work history and requests for leniency from fellow teachers and parents.

After the court's ruling, the webtoonist Joo said that despite the acknowledgment of the abuse inflicted on his children, it still hurts as a parent.

He mentioned that his heart remains heavy over the controversy and expressed hope that the court's decision will not negatively impact teachers assisting children with disabilities.

"I sincerely hope that this case will not be perceived as a conflict between parents of students with disabilities and special needs teachers," Joo said.

"My wife and I faced considerable criticism, being perceived as individuals ending the career of a special needs teacher dedicated to helping children with problematic behavior," Joo said. "I hope today’s ruling will help clear up even the smallest misunderstanding."

The webtoonist initially accused the teacher of abusing his child with a disability in September 2022.

The couple secretly recorded the teacher without her knowledge in class that month. Joo’s wife, Han Soo-ja, also a webtoonist, placed a tape recorder in their son’s school bag.

Joo’s son, who was two years older than his second-grade peers at the time, was assigned to the special needs class after he hit other students and exposed his genitals to girls.

However, the special needs teacher reportedly expressed frustration when Joo’s son repeatedly attempted to leave the special needs class and join his former classmates.

The prosecutor’s office indicted the teacher on child abuse in December 2022, leading to her suspension from her job.

The issue, however, ignited public debate in July last year following the suicide of an elementary teacher who reportedly faced harassment from parents.

The teacher's death brought attention to the harassment many educators endure and widespread violations of teachers' rights.

The couple's actions against the teacher were publicly criticized as excessive, especially secretly recording the teacher and pressuring the school to suspend her even before the verdict was reached.

In response, the Gyeonggi Office of Education reinstated the teacher in August.

Gyeonggi’s education superintendent, Yim Tae-hee, issued a statement on Thursday expressing regret over the court's decision.

Yim mentioned concerns that the decision, especially the admission of the secretly taped recording as evidence, could negatively impact special needs educators.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]