“Explosive workload, commotion by ##... I can’t breathe” Diary of dead elementary school teacher disclosed

A part of a diary written by the teacher A on July 3, fifteen days after she committed suicide in an elementary school in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Courtesy of the Seoul Teachers Union

The diary of A, a first-grade teacher who took her own life in an elementary school in Seocho-gu, Seoul on July 18, was disclosed to the public. In the diary, A described the problems she faced due to her work at school. Reportedly, the police investigating her death called in and questioned the parents of students suspected of engaging in gapjil--abusive behavior by people in positions of power.

On July 24, the Seoul Teachers Union released parts of A’s diary with the consent of her family. In the diary, A wrote, “I felt lethargic and depressed from Friday and over the weekend, but still I didn’t think that it was that tough. But after I went to work on Monday, I was faced with an explosive workload and the commotion by ##, and I felt it was all just too overwhelming and strongly wanted to let go.” ## was the name of a student.

A also wrote, “I couldn’t breathe. When I was eating, my hand shook and I almost cried.” The sentences were written on July 3, fifteen days before she took her life. The Seoul Teachers Union said, “We could clearly confirm that the late teacher experienced difficulties due to her life at the school--her work and problems with students--when she was alive.” The union continued and said, “This is consistent with the situation that the union uncovered through a tip, that she had a hard time because of the behavior of one of her students who shouted in class.”

Earlier the Seoul Teachers Union received a tip from A’s colleague and said, “According to her fellow teacher, there was an incident among the students in the late teacher’s class last week.” B, a student, scratched the forehead of C, the student sitting behind B, with a pencil. C’s parents came to the teachers’ office because of the incident and complained to A, telling her she was not qualified to be a teacher and demanding to know how she took care of the kids.

Later, the Union also received information that the parents of the student who inflicted the injury or the victim called A on her personal cell phone dozens of times and that A said, “I never gave them my number, and the office never gave them my number. I have no idea how they found out and called me. It’s terrifying. I’ll have to change my cell phone number when school’s out (for the summer).”

Citizens in Mourning: A citizen mourns the death of a teacher who took her own life in an elementary school in Seocho-gu, Seoul on July 18. Seong Dong-hun

The Seocho Police Station in Seoul, which is investigating the case, called in the parents who allegedly engaged in gapjil as witnesses and questioned them. The police station announced, “We called in and finished questioning the parents of both students (involved in the so-called ‘pencil incident’) last weekend.”

The police requested the school for a list and contact information of all the sixty or more teachers at the elementary school to interview them, but said they have yet to receive the list due to opposition from the teachers. The police have finished questioning the teachers who were close to A last weekend.

The police also announced plans to conduct a forensic analysis of electronic devices such as A’s cell phone. A police representative said, “We will leave the door open to all possibilities and call in and question the necessary parties.”