Korea pushes to protect teachers from violence

The Korean government is pushing to better protect teachers’ rights amid a series of violent incidents that have threatened their safety and authority.

The Education Ministry said it would run four healing support centers for teachers on a trial basis as part of its efforts to support the mental treatment of those who suffer abuse by students.

Starting in Daejeon, Busan, Daegu and Jejudo Island, healing support centers will be established in all municipalities by next year, the ministry said. They will provide a range of systematic support services from mental health checkups, psychological counseling, legal counseling and adjustment checkups.

The move came after public concerns grew over lax measures to protect the teachers’ well-being after several high-profile violent incidents at schools.

In December last year, five 16-year-old high school students in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, repeatedly attacked a male contract teacher with a broom while he was checking attendance. Prosecutors sought a one-year jail term for two students last week after the video footage prompted a police investigation earlier this year.

A similar incident took place at an elementary school in North Gyeongsang Province earlier this month. A male fourth grader punched his female home room teacher when she disciplined him and told him to apologize to his friend over a quarrel. The teacher received medical treatment for two weeks.

According to the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Association, more than 24,500 cases of breach-of-authority were reported in the last five years from local schools, with 95 percent being verbal and physical abuse, sexual harassment and interfering with classes. 

A separate survey, conducted on some 1,600 teachers in 2013, showed that nearly 97 percent considered themselves as “emotional laborers.” About 78 percent said their stress level was serious.

Despite the large number of cases and reports of mental stress, little support has been provided for teachers so far.

In the case of Seoul City, of more than 700 cases reported from March to December last year, only 39 were provided with legal and psychological support.

Some municipalities are taking their own initiatives.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Wednesday said it had recruited a full-time lawyer -- a former teacher -- to provide professional legal services for teachers.

Although Seoul City education authorities set up a special legal counseling team of 38 outside lawyers last year, their role has been limited to providing basic consultations, the office said.

Experts welcomed the various moves by central and municipal governments but stressed the importance of prevention measures.

“Initiatives such as establishing healing centers and strengthening legal counseling are positive moves, but they are all actions to help repair the damage after the fact,” said Cheon Seong-moon, an education professor at Kyungsung University in Busan.

“The government should simultaneously come up with effective prevention measures that can be taken before teachers’ rights are affected.”

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)