7 in 10 Koreans favor immunity for teachers over child abuse charges

(123rf)

As teachers struggle with maintaining authority over unruly students and dealing with assertive parents, a survey released Wednesday shows that a majority of South Koreans support granting educators immunity from child abuse charges concerning actions taken for educational reasons.

A joint poll conducted by Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV showed that 74.3 percent of respondents answered “yes” when asked if they agreed with granting immunity from child abuse during life skills education, where the focus is on students’ intellectual, emotional, physical and moral development. Another 18.7 percent of respondents disagreed.

The survey, conducted with 1,000 people aged 18 years or older, comes in light of the death of a 23-year-old junior teacher who apparently took her own life in an elementary school classroom in Seoul’s Seocho-gu last month.

Her death has raised questions about the absence of legal measures to protect teachers’ rights and autonomy in the classroom. Teachers are also calling for protection against unfair child abuse claims, arguing that parents often unjustly accuse teachers of misconduct.

By age, those in their 50s and 60s showed the highest support for exempting teachers from child abuse claims if their disciplinary actions were just, compared to those in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

Regarding waning respect for teachers, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho said unjust child abuse claims “pose a threat to public education,” as they harm teachers and debilitate teachers from conducting educational activities.

“(The Education Ministry) will work with relevant government bodies in protecting teachers’ educational activities (in classrooms) from indiscriminate reports of child abuse and guaranteeing the right to education for all students,” Lee said Wednesday during a meeting held on the protection of teachers’ rights, with incumbent teachers, legal professionals, human rights experts and police officials present.

By Park Jun-hee(junheee@heraldcorp.com)