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Tony Hellmann, center, founding member and former communications director of the Association for Teachers of English in Korea, briefs reporters during a media conference at the Seoul Global Center. / Korea Times File |
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Bradley Allen, a former professor at a college in North Gyeongsang Province, is claiming that he was ill-treated by his employer. In an email to The Korea Times, Allen said his college didn't pay him his severance pay, and he is not the only victim of the school. ``I am owed 2.6 million won multiplied by five teachers (who were cheated as well) ― a total of 13 million won.'' He added that his supervisor forced him to give students better grades.
However, he failed to settle his problems and had to leave Korea. This is not a story of frustration for Allen only, but for many other foreign language lecturers, especially those working at private language schools, or hagwon.
With these foreign instructors' issues, some foreign nationals have called for a collective group to speak out for them on welfare issues and the Association for Teachers of English in Korea (ATEK) has been formed with an aim to help visa-holding teachers adjust to life in Korea.
``We are an all volunteer association that has helped many people by speaking on their behalf, helping them find legal help, or by giving money from our own pockets. It is a commitment of time and labor for the benefit of the community,'' said Greg Dolezal, the new president of the association.
However, in the case of the founding member and previous communications director, Tony Hellmann, the association was unable to help him renew his contract at Kyungnam University. Hellmann was accused of having sexual relations with minors when he was in the United States and faced an investigation by the Korean police. Although police failed to find a criminal record of the former spokesperson, the university decided not to renew his contract. ``He wanted to work with us, but we are reluctant to do so, although he might be innocent,'' said an official from the university.
As a result, the former spokesperson left the school and his current status is unknown. The Korea Times was unable to contact him.
As to welfare improvement for its members, how ATEK with about 1,000 members, will secure representative power is another question. The ATEK president made it clear that his group doesn't represent all English teachers but only its membership. ``We were misquoted a long time ago and since then we have tried again and again to correct this idea (representing all foreign English teachers). But the media keep printing it and perpetuating this false idea. We represent our members. We hope to grow our membership so that we can represent more teachers in the future,'' he said.
Currently, owners of hagwon or private language schools are downplaying them. Government officials also say they don't recognize the association as an official group representing native English teachers. ``There are different cultures and customs wherever you go in the world and I believe foreigners should respect them. We will continue to request native English speakers to submit AIDS and drug test documents. This is to remove the worries of many parents,'' said an official at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, who declined to be named.
Regarding the government's lukewarm stance, Dolezal said. ``we haven't established the partnerships we want with the education ministry or other Korean organizations, but it is our sincere goal to work with them to improve the quality of education of Korean children and create harmony in society.''
Although ATEK stresses its campaign against AIDS/HIV and drug tests on E-2 visa holders, two main actors for the campaign are not members of the association; Benjamin Wagner, a professor of Kyung Hee University, submitted a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Korea and Chung-Ang university lecturer Andrea Vandom filed a petition with the Constitutional Court over the issue.
kswho@koreatimes.co.kr
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경찰, 이태원 등 외국인 밀집지역 특별관리
