![](https://i.imgur.com/CLvY2jA.png")
05-09-2023, 12:04 PM
Raphael Rashid in Seoul
Mon 4 Sep 2023 13.15 BST
Teachers in South Korea have staged a mass walkout in protest at widespread harassment by overbearing parents and unruly students, which has led to some staff taking their own lives.
The problem of bullying and violence among students in the country has been well-documented. But teachers are now demanding better protection for themselves amid growing outrage about teaching staff being mistreated, including being accused of child abuse for disciplining students.
......
The teachers’ movement was sparked by the death of a 23-year-old elementary schoolteacher in July. She was found dead at her school in Seoul in an apparent suicide after reportedly expressing anxiety over complaints from abusive parents.
Teachers nationwide have since been holding vigils and demonstrations every weekend to mourn her death and demand improved rights, leading up to a rally at the weekend in Seoul where as many as 200,000 teachers gathered.
......
Monday marked the 49th day since the teacher’s death, an important day in funeral rites according to many Buddhist traditions. Reports in recent days of several other apparent teacher suicides have further fuelled outrage over the mistreatment of teachers.
......
As of June, 100 schoolteachers had died by suicide in South Korea since 2018
......
The education ministry has vowed to strengthen educational authority and is pushing for legislation to ensure “legitimate educational activities are distinguished from child abuse crimes”.
On Sunday, the ministry blamed previous governments for “overemphasising” students’ human rights over teacher rights, which it said resulted in “the number of indiscriminate child abuse reports to increase”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/s...d-students
Mon 4 Sep 2023 13.15 BST
Teachers in South Korea have staged a mass walkout in protest at widespread harassment by overbearing parents and unruly students, which has led to some staff taking their own lives.
The problem of bullying and violence among students in the country has been well-documented. But teachers are now demanding better protection for themselves amid growing outrage about teaching staff being mistreated, including being accused of child abuse for disciplining students.
......
The teachers’ movement was sparked by the death of a 23-year-old elementary schoolteacher in July. She was found dead at her school in Seoul in an apparent suicide after reportedly expressing anxiety over complaints from abusive parents.
Teachers nationwide have since been holding vigils and demonstrations every weekend to mourn her death and demand improved rights, leading up to a rally at the weekend in Seoul where as many as 200,000 teachers gathered.
......
Monday marked the 49th day since the teacher’s death, an important day in funeral rites according to many Buddhist traditions. Reports in recent days of several other apparent teacher suicides have further fuelled outrage over the mistreatment of teachers.
......
As of June, 100 schoolteachers had died by suicide in South Korea since 2018
......
The education ministry has vowed to strengthen educational authority and is pushing for legislation to ensure “legitimate educational activities are distinguished from child abuse crimes”.
On Sunday, the ministry blamed previous governments for “overemphasising” students’ human rights over teacher rights, which it said resulted in “the number of indiscriminate child abuse reports to increase”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/s...d-students
