Student rights ordinance causes stir

By Lee Hyo-sik

Seoul education office’s plan to include a clause banning discrimination against homosexuality at school in a student rights ordinance is drawing criticism from conservative civic groups.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has argued that its ordinance on students’ human rights, which includes a clause of prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals, does not violate any laws, saying the office will forward it to the Seoul Metropolitan Council for approval.

In contrast, parents’ groups say the students’ human rights rules should be scrapped altogether, claiming that the controversial clause will promote homosexuality among students and negatively impact ideas of sexual identity.

Despite this, an advisory committee to Seoul education office said Wednesday that it completed revising an ordinance on students’ human rights and submitted it to the office.

After the committee unveiled the preliminary version of the ordinance on Sept. 7, it held a series of public hearings to gather opinions from teachers, parents and students.

At the center of the controversy is the article that states students have the right not to be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation.

``The committee has decided to add the contentious clause to the ordinance in a bid to better protect the human rights of minority groups. The article does not clash with any existing laws. But it has met strong opposition from parents and others who oppose the ordinance itself,’’ said an official at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

He said for the ordinance to be validated, the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education must approve and then forward it to the Seoul city council. A majority of council members has to endorse it.

Promotion of homosexuality?

Parents’ groups have harshly criticized the Seoul education office, urging it to remove the clause. They also threatened to stage a campaign against Seoul city council members who vote in favor of the ordinance in the next elections.

The Association of Mothers Concerned about Education and 50 other groups claimed that the city council should not endorse the student rights ordinance. ``The ordinance should be abolished all together otherwise our children will be exposed to homosexuality and other radical ideas. We will deliver our views to Seoul city council members,’’ the groups said in a statement. ``We will even tell them that if they endorse the ordinance, we will campaign against them in the next elections.’’

Since liberal-minded Kwak No-hyun, who is on trial for bribing a rival candidate during last year’s election, was elected as the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the office has been pushing to draw up a set of rules designed to protect students’ basic human rights by banning corporal punishment and lifting restrictions on students’ hairstyles and clothing.

Disagreeing teachers, parents and other opponents have said the removal of corporal punishment and other steps to protect students’ rights will leave teachers with no effective methods to keep unruly students under control in classrooms.