Legal Protection Enacted for Teacher Rights
The National Assembly Research Service published the 2024 National Audit Issue Analysis in August. On September 9th, the National Assembly enacted the Five Laws on Protecting Teacher Rights in response to the teacher suicide incident at Seoi Elementary School in July 2023. Despite the establishment of a legal framework, teachers still express anxiety about being reported for child abuse by students or parents who are dissatisfied with their educational activities or disciplinary actions. Accordingly, an amendment to the Child Welfare Act is being pursued to allow legitimate student discipline that is currently defined as a form of “child abuse.” The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations has emphasized that managing students in emotional and behavioral crises should be collaborative work with educational institutes rather than a single burden for teachers. Since the dire state of teacher rights became evident in the latter half of last year, movements to repeal have gained momentum. As the debate over the amendment to the Child Welfare Act unfolds, heated discussions regarding balanced protection rights for both students and teachers are still a hot potato.