Classrooms empty as angry teachers go on ‘leave’

Although not an official day, the teachers dubbed Monday “the day public education stopped,” as educators across the country mourned the death of a 23-year-old Seo 2 Elementary School teacher, who died by suicide in July. It was the 49th day.

A woman shed tears in front of the memorial of the 23 year-old teacher at Seo 2 Elementary School in Seocho-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, on Monday, which marks the 49th day since the teacher took her own life. A nationwide mourning took place while teachers demanded that the government take more aggressive actions in protecting teachers’ rights from legal harassments from parents. [YONHAP]

Nearly all classrooms across the country were empty Monday and many classes were suspended as teachers went on leave, including some calling in sick.

Some parents joined in by keeping their children home, while some teachers sat on the pavement in front of the National Assembly as part of a rally demanding more aggressive actions to protect the rights of teachers.

Although not an official day, the teachers dubbed Monday “the day public education stopped,” as educators across the country mourned the death of a 23-year-old Seo 2 Elementary School teacher, who died by suicide in July.

Monday marked the 49th day since the teacher's death, an important date according to Buddhist practice.

People dressed in black, including children, lined up at Seo 2 Elementary School in Seocho-dong, Gangnam, southern Seoul, to pay their final respects to the teacher, while memorials were set up at schools, offices of education and even parks.

The death sparked a nationwide debate over the treatment of teachers, as the victim was allegedly harassed by parents.

While the police are still investigating the death, a teachers' association claims parents of one of the victim's students had belittled her and even questioned her qualifications after a classmate injured their child with a pencil.

“Teachers have had to tolerate everything with our heads down from students and parents for years" for fear of the heavy punishments inflicted in the name of students' rights, a teacher in Seoul said. “We have had enough and now is the time for us to speak out."

Some teachers were unable to participate in the nationwide campaign, including at one school in Nowon District, northern Seoul, where the principal refused to accept teachers’ applications for leave, even sick leave.

“Four teachers were brave enough to still skip school,” a teacher at the school said. “The principal was furious and demanded that they return to school.

“The teachers won’t face any kind of reprimand if they submit a document that shows that they visited a doctor. But even so, they are likely to face psychological harassments from the principal.”

Teachers and politicians rallies in front of the National Assembly on Monday, demanding more aggressive measures to protect teachers’ rights especially against parents filing lawsuits on charges such as emotional abuse on disciplinary actions. Teachers have been rallying since July 22 after a 23 year-old teacher at Seo 2 Elementary School committed suicide. [YONHAP]

The government recently introduced several measures that could improve conditions for teachers, including forcing students to leave the classroom when they are disruptive and confiscating the mobile phones who continue to use them even after being warned by a teacher.

The teacher can also physically constrain a student if that student attacks the teacher.

All these measures went into effect on Friday.

However, teachers argue that these measures are insufficient, and that the government has to make more aggressive changes, including protections against legal harassment filed by parents.

Teachers argue that once a parent files a lawsuit against a teacher for even the smallest disciplinary action, that teacher is not only labeled by parents as an abusive educator but also sidelined from teaching classes.

“When I first started, we were able to discipline students if they disrupted class,” said a teacher with 23 years of experiences. “Today I could get sued by a parent for emotional abuse if I take the side of a student in a brawl.”

“Parents now consider schools to be some sort of care institution where teachers should look after the wellbeing of their children, not an institution that educates young minds,” the teacher said. “Because we have to be so careful that the children don’t get hurt, we can't even get a bathroom break.”

President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an order on Monday to prioritize restoring teachers' rights and normalizing education.

Yoon, in a meeting with presidential secretaries, said, "Pay close attention to teachers' voices and hear out their concerns shared at a rally last weekend."

On Saturday, 200,000 teachers gathered in front of the National Assembly as part of the weekly rallies that began on July 22. It was the biggest since the demonstrations began.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, who had threatened stern measures against teachers for taking leave, took a step back at a memorial event on Monday, “Today is the day we commemorate the dead.”

“Today is the day everyone in the education field has to unite,” Lee said. “The government will decide after analyzing everything that happened today.”

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, second in line, on Monday walks through the classroom, which the Seo 2 Elementary School teacher, who committed suicide in July, used to teach first graders. [NEWS1]

On Saturday, two more teachers killed themselves, one in Seoul, a mother of two, and another in Gunsan, North Jeolla.

On Sunday, a physical education teacher in his 60s took his own life.

According to his family and education office, a parent reported the teacher to the Gyeonggi Province Office of Education and the police for an incident in June.

The parent accused the teacher of neglecting their injured child, who was hurt by a ball kicked by another student.

The teacher was not present at the scene when it happened.

"One would think that parents would refrain from harassing teachers, especially in light of the Seo 2 Elementary School tragedy and the recent social outcry. However, the unfortunate reality is that even today, some parents persist in harassing teachers," a teacher at a school in Gyeonggi said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]