How can we help teachers with depression?

The government must supplement the loopholes in the law on protecting the rights of teachers.

Park Nam-gi

The author is a professor at Gwangju National University of Education. A survey showed that four out of 10 elementary and secondary school teachers experienced symptoms of depression, with the ratio being six out of ten among homeroom teachers of senior highschoolers. The number would have increased since the survey is already six-years old. It is heartbreaking to hear talented people whose academic scores could have taken them to medical schools are suffering depression and leaving the occupation.

A recent publication on a newspaper where a doctor listed three reasons why pediatrics departments are disappearing from hospitals due to shortage of candidates to specialize in the children’s field also raises poignant sympathy timed with Teachers’ Day on May 15.

The primary reason is that a pediatrician earns less than other doctors. “Although we earn above the average of salary workers, I often regret choosing the department when I compare myself with doctors in other fields,” a pediatrician wrote in the article. Doctors have the choice to change their field of specialty, but teachers have little option in their profession. They cannot choose better working conditions or a higher income in the teaching profession.

Although a teacher’s earning cannot be compared to that of a pediatrician, teachers try to find reward and pride in the occupation they have chosen with a certain conviction. But when they find it difficult to endure, they apply for medical school or enter a law school or pursue studies overseas.

Many teachers realize that their dream profession is a humble job rather than a vocation. Such a dismissal darkens not just the future of education, but the future of Korea whose biggest asset had been human resources. According to the Special Act on Enhancing Teachers’ Status, the state and local governments have the duty to financially reward teachers with “special privilege.”

No one will protect those who are ignorant and negligent to their legal rights. Teachers would have to sue the state for neglect of duty. Teachers’ salaries must be guaranteed at least as much as those of pediatricians to save the future of education and the country.

Children’s clinics are closing due to the strenuous hardship of dealing with children. “Four- or five-year olds are quite strong. Although they are not to be blamed, I cannot keep up with them. Dealing with 15 infants and children for a four-minute treatment is harder than with 15 adults,” the doctor confessed. Meanwhile, kindergarten and elementary school teachers deal with these children five days a week without a lunch break, unlike general hospital pediatricians who deal with patients three days a week. Still, they must comfort themselves watching children blossom.

Many complain how hard it is to parent their own child. But the society and parents think teachers have an easy life. Their naivety of choosing their profession out of love for students and teaching should not be a guilt. It has been a long tradition in the Korean society to appreciate teachers. The tradition is still alive in northern European countries. We too must revive the respect and appreciation for teachers — not for the teachers’ sake but for the children’s sake and a brighter society.

The third difficulty the pediatrician cited was the behaviors of parents. “Anyone’s child is important, but parenthood sometimes can be crooked. I have to squeeze out all my efforts after dealing with a sudden parental temper,” the doctor wrote. Likewise, teachers find parents the most hard to handle in their profession.

Many parents pour out their anger and frustration at the teacher. They lash out at the teacher purely based on the account of their child and file habitual lawsuits against teachers, frustrating teachers who have pride and passion in their profession.

The state has a regulation to protect teachers. But the law often is discounted in reality. A teacher is shamed by a complaint by a parent — and even a legitimate teaching act can paint a teacher into a child abuser. The government must supplement the loopholes in the law on protecting the rights of teachers. Complaints about child abuse during educational proceeding also should be dealt with discreetly so that teachers are not discouraged to quit their job against their will.

Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.