Dear editor,
This is in response to a July 13 article, ``New drug test plan angers native English teachers,” published.
As a professional educator, it is disturbing to read that the leadership of a group of native English teachers, no matter how small, would oppose any measure that strives to make students safer. Fortunately, those that were quoted in the article are in the minority and only represent a fringe group of native teachers in the Republic of Korea.
In the United States, certified teachers are required to undergo a detailed background check and other tests with the intent of weeding out those that may do harm to the students.
Though it is not foolproof, professional teachers do not oppose these necessary measures. If Korea would require native teachers to have a teaching certification from their home state, those unconcerned about the welfare of the students would be forced to seek employment in less regulated countries.
Admittedly, a multitude of measures are going to need to be taken to make our schools safer, but any step in the right direction is progress, so let’s not stop with the foreigners that only make up a small percentage of the teaching population.
I would urge the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to immediately implement stricter rules for Korean teachers, as well. For starters, let’s stop the practice of relocating teachers that have sexually abused their students or colleagues.
When I taught in South Chungcheong Province back in 2003, I remember a high school teacher who had impregnated one of his students. The girl’s family sent her to live with relatives in a different province, and the teacher was simply moved to a different school.
Would one of teachers’ unions in Korea dare to oppose ending such an irresponsible practice?
How about ending the practice of drinking at school, coming to school drunk or with a hangover, beating students, touching students, etc.? There are so many negligent practices that remain in our schools, let’s make some real progress and address the big ticket items and not just the minority issues, if people really want to make our schools safer.
That is what these measures are about, right? It wouldn’t be just xenophobic fear-mongering or scapegoating, would it? I am cautiously optimistic that rational measures will be taken, but I have lived long enough in Korea to know how these things tend to get played out.
It reminds me of the recent new taxi measures that stand to be implemented to make taxis safer for women. As it is written, those seeking to be hired as new drivers can’t have a record of sexual crimes, but those that are currently driving with convictions for sexual crimes are ``grandfathered” in. The measures do nothing to rid the country of the current drivers on the road with a history of sexual crimes against women and children.
Yes, the measure will effectively make taxis safer by preventing more deviants from being employed as drivers, though I can’t help but feel like they missed the point. Let’s hope that they come up with some better legislation to protect our children from all teachers both foreign and domestic.
Steve Austin Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education austininsk@gmail.com