A classroom that turned into a battleground

A high school teacher under a death threat from students in North Jeolla had to come to work wearing a stab-proof vest, underscoring the extremities of school violence teachers face today due to the breakdown of their authority. The local teachers’ union issued a statement demanding protection of the teacher under threat.

Some students of the high school had publicly threatened to kill the teacher and his family. The threat was repeatedly made with sardonic sneers that those students cannot be prosecuted as they are minors. After other innocent students informed the teacher of the impending threat, the teacher had to come to work wearing a protection vest prepared by his wife.

The student-teacher relationship bound by devotion and respect had been long lost. But a student threatening to kill his teacher is beyond tolerance. The response from the school and education authorities are equally incomprehensible. According to the teachers’ union, the threatened teacher handed in a diagnosis from his psychologist advising a leave from work for a minimum of six months. Yet the school was passive in accepting the sick leave or separating the teacher from the dangerous students.

The school committee on teachers’ rights held a hearing but handed out mild discipline after the students offered to apologize. Their parents in protest to the decision filed a suit with the administrative court. Parents also reported to the police about the teacher’s alleged child abuse based on an incident — the teacher tugging the sleeves of the students for smoking outside the school — from two years ago.

Bullying against teachers by bossy parents were highlighted after a young teacher of an elementary school in Seoul committed suicide last year. Teachers staged massive street protests to demand stronger protection and the government promised actions. The National Assembly revised the relevant laws to strengthen teachers’ rights so that teachers can avoid a criminal punishment for justifiable disciplinary actions.

Still, our school environment has not changed. Schools are often pressed to hand in various documents to the education authority when complaints are filed against teachers. Schools put the blame on teachers instead of showing sympathy toward them. Teachers also opt to avoid problematic students so as not to invite any potential trouble. But undisciplined students can commit crimes in their adulthood.

The education authority in North Jeolla must hasten to protect the teacher and his colleagues. Law enforcement authorities also must clear the teacher’s name if it turns out that he only took a disciplinary action against the student. Education authorities also must keep close watch over whether the newly dispatched school violence inspectors do their job successfully from now.