South Korea has enacted a new law aimed at safeguarding schoolteachers from harassment and malicious complaints by parents.
The move comes after nine weeks of nationwide protests by teachers who have been demanding increased rights within the classroom.
Many teachers have reported being subjected to harassment by parents who sometimes falsely accuse them of child abuse with the intent of having them dismissed from their positions.
Incidents included teachers being reported for restraining a violent student or merely admonishing a pupil.
Teachers have criticized the exploitation of a child welfare law passed in 2014, which mandates the automatic suspension of teachers accused of child abuse.
Under the newly enacted legislation, known as the Teacher Rights Restoration Bill, teachers will not face immediate suspension upon a child abuse report. Instead, a thorough investigation and evidence will be required before any action is taken.
The law also includes provisions for financial support to assist teachers facing lawsuits and places greater responsibility on school principals to protect their staff.
The protests by teachers gained momentum after a 23-year-old primary school teacher died by suicide in July, following a barrage of complaints from parents.
Teachers have argued that the culture of malicious complaints has made it increasingly difficult for them to teach effectively or discipline students.
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Unions welcomed the new legislation, describing it as an expansion of teachers’ rights and protection of students’ learning rights. The union expressed gratitude to the teachers who demonstrated for eight consecutive weeks, asserting that their determination contributed to this achievement.
While the government and local authorities have introduced measures to protect teachers in recent weeks, the new legislation is the first legally binding step.
However, some teachers believe that the new laws do not go far enough and have called for amendments to the Child Welfare Act. They argue that disciplinary actions against students should not be labeled as child abuse.
Additionally, there is a demand for consequences for parents who make false accusations of child abuse against teachers.
South Korea’s hyper-competitive society is partly blamed for the culture of parental harassment. The pursuit of academic excellence, which is viewed as the key to success, has students competing fiercely for top grades from an early age to gain admission to prestigious universities.
-BBC-
