Teachers across the country have been engaged in a nine-week-long protest, calling for enhanced rights within the classroom. They have been facing frequent harassment from parents, some of whom maliciously report them for child abuse in an attempt to have them removed from their positions. In some cases, teachers have been reported for restraining a violent child or simply for reprimanding a student.
Teachers have accused parents of exploiting a child welfare law enacted in 2014, which automatically suspends teachers accused of child abuse.
The recently passed legislation, known as the Teacher Rights Restoration Bill, ensures that teachers will not be immediately suspended upon a child abuse report; instead, further investigation and evidence will be required.
The new law also provides financial support to teachers involved in legal battles, and places greater responsibility on school principals to safeguard their staff.
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Unions has welcomed this new law, asserting that it expands the rights of educators and safeguards the right of students to learn. The union expressed its “heartfelt appreciation” to the teachers who rallied in the streets for eight consecutive weeks, demanding improved working conditions and attributing today’s achievement to their determination.
